Love and War
by Fox of the darkness
Summary: Everyone knows that Kagome and Inuyasha hate each other. When near close proximity it’s a classic hell on earth reenactment. What happens one day when a teacher decides their feud has gone on long enough and it’s time to end it? rated high to be cafeful.
1. Chapter 1

**Love and War**

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter One: The Priestess and the Hanyou

Standing before the doors of Takahashi High one would not have thought the school to be any different from any of the other high schools. Sure the building was nicer than other but the students still clutched onto their bags and still wore their uniforms; the teachers still chatted on the nicely trimmed lawn of green of their lessons for the day while the girls stood off in a far corner sharing the latest gossip.

Yes standing in front of the school nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But once one walked beyond the doors it was another story entirely.

"Morning twiggy."

"How's it going pea brain?"

Everyone in the hall fell quiet; their movements deliberate but slow in an effort to avoid the two people glaring at each other. The insults were petty right now, but everyone knew they would grow.

The young girl shook her head slowly. Her black hair moved a bit against the ripples she had made with the small movement. She wore her usual skirt and blouse combination required of the school. Within her arms was wrapped two books she knew she would need for her next class.

The young man stood in front of her his expression of hatred. He didn't wear dress code and from first looks you knew he never would. Instead he was sporting a red and black shirt and some slightly baggy jeans. He didn't hold a backpack or any books, but he was going to class. That was until he and this girl accidentally reached for the door at the same time.

These two alone made Takahashi High different from any other high school. Unlike in other schools where students who didn't like each other got over it in a weeks time to become best friends. This couple had held a steady grudge for four years and maybe even longer.

No one understood it. In Jr. High they had been the best of friends where there was one you always found the other, but now something cold clung between to the two.

An unsettling feeling; something that went beyond hatred.

"Inuyasha. Kagome. Come inside and take your seats." The two did not take a step forward nor did they break their deathly stare.

Her icy hazel met with his burning gold. Stuck within a world only those two dwell within.

"Now, you two." An elderly woman stood within the door way glancing at both of her students. Though she was old she did not take kindly to kids who did not obey her instructions. A small cane she grasped within her left hand slammed impatiently into the ground.

Kagome and Inuyasha snapped out of their silent fight at the sound. With a snort the boy shoved past both the girl and the old woman taking his usual seat near the back wall.

"Lady Kaede." Kagome bowed politely to the teacher then proceeded to take her seat on the other side of the class room getting as far away from Inuyasha as possible.

Kaede sighed to herself then looked up noticing the students gathered in anticipation, "The bell will ring in two minutes." At that news the kids scrambled away to their lockers and classrooms.

"And that is the story of "The Priestess and the Hanyou"." Kaede finished her lesson to observe the expressions on her students' faces. Some of the girls were wiping the tears from their eyes while the men stood tall to pretending to be unaffected. The old woman then found her gaze on Inuyasha, unlike most of the room he was smirking.

"Inuyasha? What have you to say about the story?"

The teenager turned his eyes towards the window staring out at the volleyball team practicing for their next competition. Kaede starting to think he wasn't going to answer but then, "I don't blame that guy. She had it cumin to her."

"O?" She had never had this reaction to the story before, "Continue."

Inuyasha sighed but kept on, "The priestess wanted him to change into something weak and pathetic just because she couldn't bear to be with him as a half-breed. She was selfish. If she really cared then why didn't she use the jewel to heal herself?"

"Because, stupid, then she would have tainted the jewel." Kaede followed the source of the voice and found Kagome. Her face unreadable, but one thing Kaede knew was that it harbored no sadness.

"And how do you feel about the story Kagome?"

The girl looked up with a frown, "The priestess was a fool for ever trusting him. She should have killed him in the beginning."

From across the room the young man stood knocking over his chair and desk, "Why because he couldn't change to fit the bill!"

"No! because though he could he didn't! Even when he claimed to loved her!" Kagome shot back with a glare.

"Well maybe if she would have met him half way instead of pinning all of the responsibility on him! Why is it she didn't need to do anything but he did!"

"She was a PRIESTESS! Highly respected, looked up to, high standard PRIESTESS! She couldn't be seen with a HALF-BREED!"

"So because she didn't want to look bad he had to become something he didn't want to become?"

"She had a title to uphold! She didn't have a choice!"

"Screw that! She did have a choice! She just didn't want to face it!"

"Not true!"

"IS True!"

"ENOUGH!" Both students stopped their heated argument to face a rigid looking Kaede. Her face was set in determination and her eyes hard, but if one was paying closer attention one would've have seen something…

"I am glad you two were listening so intently to the story, but that is enough." She spoke softer her eyes closing, "We have to move onto our next lesson. This one is going to be a two-person project in respect to the coming holiday, I will decide the pairings."

The rest of the children sighed in relief then snuck looks to the people they hoped to be paired with. As interesting as listening to an argument was with the tension flying between those two…everyone feared someday that their anger would become something solid like a monster and begin to devour everyone!

"Now this is the Valentines project. During this time, young people such as you are either waiting for or going to the person you have secretly admired and admit love. Soon after you quickly begin to plan for the future with hopes of marrying and having children. Because of this I have decided to aid those thoughts."

Everyone fell silent. She wasn't finished yet and from the smile growing within her eyes they knew this last bit was not going to make them happy.

"You will all be paired off as man and woman. You will be married and will pick from a variety of homes which you shall dwell in. Then you will both get jobs living the life of a married couple. You will write a report both of you explaining your experience. You will also log your incomes and bills, etc."

Finishing up Kaede opened her eyes smiling at the shocked expressions of her class.

Some seemed okay with the project just nervous about their pairing. Others groaned hitting their heads against the desk.

"So how are we supposed to do this old hag!" She looked at Inuyasha. He had not bothered to reset his chair and table and was leaning against the wall.

"Smart question Inuyasha." She stopped to take in a breath ready to shock the students further, "Within the mountains Takahashi High owns a large area filled made into a city or small town. Next week a bus will take you and my other classes from different periods up there where you will be told your husband or wife and will begin your project."

"Soo how long will we be there?" A small girl in the front asked

"One month."

"ONE MONTH!" Just as she anticiapated the room shot into chaos. Yelling and groaning from everyone, some begging her to reconsider, others calling her a mean old lady. But she did not mind. She would receive a much worse reaction far later. One which would put this scenario to shame. Yes this was nothing compared to the reaction she would receive from a certain boy and girl when she told them they were husband and wife for one month.

* * *

I told ya I would do it! I can't stand the so called 'Day of Love' it's soo…overrated! I mean shouldn't you be this nice to your significant other all year? So in dedication to that day I've made a story.

You can review encouragement and flames I'm still writin it anyways Mhahaha!

But still reviewing is encouraged

Thanksmoon2stars142000 you were the inspiration for this! If your wondering how don't worry it'll be shown in the chapters soon to come. but thanks for the idea!

Z


	2. Chapter 2: Sanity

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

Everyone knows that Kagome and Inuyasha hate each other. When near close proximity it's a classic hell on earth reenactment. What happens one day when a teacher decides their feud has gone on long enough and it's time to end it?

* * *

**Chapter 2: Am I sane?**

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Even after being given one week for the news to register still the students stood in front of the school groaning and begging for another project. It wasn't the harshness of being given a wife or husband or the painful reminder of being away for one month that agonized them. It was the horrible news that they would have to get jobs and pay off bills and other 'adult things' for one whole month.

Their parents already complained about how much they hated their lives and now their 'Loving' teacher was going to put them through the same torture during their teenage years. It was like she was mocking them and laughing at their unavoidable future; when they grew up they would end up doing these things.

"Quiet everyone." Kaede stood before the students silently he eyes closed so she could avoid the many glares they shot her with. If looks could only kill…

"There are six buses that will be taking you to your new homes for the next month. I would like the girls to be on buses one, two, and three and I would like the boys to be on four, five and six." More groans came from the students. It was Valentines day and the last thing they wanted to do was separate from their lover.

"The seating for these buses is entirely up to you. You may board…now."

The woman had moved a safe distance from the buses before the trampede of students began to run for decent seats.

Inuyasha had easily found his seat in the back. With his speed and ruthlessness none of the other students dared to challenge him. Beside from his known hate relationship with Kagome he also had a reputation for being one of the few people in school you just didn't mess with.

"I knew I wouldn't need to rush." The boy didn't remove his gaze from the window at the sound of someone's voice. But he did scoot to provide a seat within the back for the newcomer.

"You took your time Miroku." Inuyasha replied back he turned to his friend with a bored glare, "Telling your fifteen valentines goodbye?"

Miroku grinned wide, "Inuyasha you insult me. You think I would cheat on some many woman at the same time?"

"If you did anything different I would think something was wrong with you." A young man took his seat directly in front of Inuyasha. He turned around with a grin, "Hey Doy Boy"

"Morning Wolf Cub." At Inuyasha's reply he just laughed. Kouga, Inuyasha, and Miroku had been best friends since childhood and each of them had their little 'name'; while Inuyasha was the Dog and Kouga the Wolf Miroku had been dubbed the Monk for being the only 'civil' one among the three.

The students were settling onto the bus when a short stubby man held his hands up to silence everyone.

"Hello young men for those of you who do not know me I am Myouga. Lady Kaede has asked me to chaperone with her along this trip. I am here to tell you that when you get to the mountain you will be introduced to your wife. There will be a dance where you will get to know each other better. If you do not like with whom you are coupled with please report to Totosai and he will see if he can replace you with someone else. Within a bag marked with each of your names up in front of the bus are an array of gifts that you will be giving your 'wives' because, after all, they are your valentines now,upona paperis the name of that lucky girl. That is all. Best of luck!" He was gone before anyone could blink.

-

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Kagome found a comfortable seat towards the front of the bus around a group of her best friends Sango, Ayami, Eri, Yuka, and Ayume.

"Hey guys." She slid into the empty seat beside Sango who was staring listlessly out the window.

"What's wrong?" Kagome tried

"Just homesick," Ayami supplied, she began to apply her make up, "And a little worried about who she'll be paired with."

Kagome nodded, she could understand that she was a little scared too, she looked up at Ayami who confidently slipped on some eye liner, "Aren't you nervous about the pairing?"

"No." She snapped shut the carry case in her lap, "I already know I've been paired with Kouga."

"Really? How?"

"Just know." She reached under the seat to put her bag under, "Instinct."

"Or maybe it's because she snuck a peak at the roster." Sango muttered back

"That too." The girl shot a glare in her friends' direction couldn't she keep her mouth shut!

"Did you see who Sango and I would be paired with?" She didn't like surprises and besides, she reasoned, 'if I know now I'll be able to recover from any reaction I get while on the bus'

"Sorry I didn't have enough time." Ayami lied, she had seen who her friends were paired with, but she wasn't going to be the messenger for this piece of news. Whoever had made the roster must have thought it funny to pair them with their worst enemies because truly these were matches made in hell!

"I hear the boys will know who they are paired with one the bus ride up, but we just have to wait until we get there." Kagome stated conversationally, she didn't like that idea of being left in the dark while the men knew ahead of time, but she really couldn't do anything about it.

The front door opened suddenly and in walked the bus driver. Starting up the bus she drove out of the front of the school. They were on their way.

-

-

"So who did you get Inuyasha?" It had been at least four hours and everyone was bored stiff. Kouga had already walked towards the front of the bus to grab their bags and had already opened his to discover that his valentine and wife was Ayami.

Upon seeing the name he had slumped back in relief, Ayami wasn't such a bad person to be paired with, they were already friends and already going out somewhat.

Miroku had been next and had gotten, to his complete joy, Sango. The one woman he truly loved and also the only woman he couldn't get.

Inuyasha had not opened his bag yet, instead he had slipped within his ears his MP3 and was listening to music while staring out of the window.

Miroku lunged forward to snatch his bag in frustration. Inuyasha was only doing this because so far it seemed that his friends were more excited about finding out about who his wife was then he himself was.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku had grabbed the edge of the bag and began to pull but Dog boy was not going to let go, "Kouga take him!"

Turning around Kouga shoved Inuyasha into the window hard successfully prying his hand off of the bag. Miroku snatched it up and pulled out the card to see whose name was written within.

"Miroku hurry up!" Kouga was wrestling with his friend to keep him from diving on Miroku. Inuyasha laughed as Kouga pinned his hand on the window.

But The Monk wasn't saying anything, he was just staring at the name with his jaw so wide open it could've hit the floor. Upon noticing this, both fighters stopped in a frown.

"Whose is it?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Miroku looked at them shaking his head slowly clutching hard to the paper and trying to put distance between himself and his friends.

"Who is it Miroku!" Kouga slid into the back and yanked the paper from rigid hands, when he set his eyes on the name he too fell silent, "Oh Crap."

"What who is it!" Inuyasha demanded

"Kagome…Kagome Higarashi." Kouga announced.

"WHAT!"

-

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That day everyone who was on the same highway as that bus swore they heard the most terrifying yowl of something that could not possibly have been human.

Kaede froze at the yell from her seat upon the teachers' bus, for a moment she doubted herself on whether it had been the sanest thing setting up those two.

"Oh well I'm an old woman," She reasoned, "I was going to die sooner or later."

-

-

Kouga and Miroku tried to calm their friend within the bus resorting to drastic measures when he had jumped up to attack the bus driver and force him to turn around.

"Get his legs!" Miroku yelled as he forced the man on the ground holding his arms while he thrashed.

"YOU BASTARDS LET ME GO!" Inuyasha screamed reaching whole new volumes.

"Inuyasha calm down! Its not so bad."

"Not soBad? NOT SOBAD!" With strength unknown he pulled himself from both Miroku and Kougas grasp almost breathing fire, "They set me up with_ her_! That that that _GIRL_!"

The rest of the students within the bus had turned around to watch this scene in terror, some were even calling home to warn their parents of a potential death due to the bus being driven off a cliff or exploding because of the InuBomb ready to detonate any second.

Inuyasha seemed to have calmed down though in fact he had fallen into silence. A creepy silence with his head bowed. One could see a small smile tracing his lips.

"Um….Inuyasha?" Kouga took a step towards him but stopped attentively waiting for a reaction."

It started off small, but then it grew louder, and louder a laugh that made even the birds out side cringe, "I've got it!"

"huh?" Both men asked their friend stupidly.

"Where is it?" Within a flash the laughing had stopped and Inuyasha was running back to his seat for the bag filled with gifts to be given to his 'wife'. With the bag within his grasp the smile returned and he started to opened the presents carefullysnickering lowly as he did meanwhile his friends stared on wondering about the sanity of their friend.

"He's finally cracked." Kouga announced while he watched Inuyasha rip off the head of a stuffed bear that said, "Hug Me."

"Perhaps," Miroku added watching as he yanked out the stuffing only to begin to set the head back on.

* * *

Heres the next chapter! Hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it! It was a blast and I almost didn't want to stop, but yeah in dedication though the next chapter will be up either later today or tomorrow. Thanks for the review my pretties and for those of you who said Happy Valentines Day -hisses-

Z


	3. Chapter 3: Part One: New start

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 3: New Start part one

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They had finally made it to the wrenched mountain. Unlike on field trip no one was smiling within the bus that had taken Inuyasha and his group of friends. Some swore that had been the closest brush with death in their entire lifetime, and the bus driver had already refused to be the one to drive that boy back home.

On Kagome's bus the girls jumped down with smiles and laughs. A bus full of clueless girls was not such a bad thing. Somehow Eri had managed to sneak on a portable hot water maker and with the endless carts of water bottles that the school was required to bring they had all made hot chocolate to enjoy while they talked about with whom they wished to be paired with.

Kagome, though preferring to not be with anyone, had already said Houjo wouldn't be such a bad husband.

"Just as long as I don't get one of the three dork-a-teers I'm okay with who I get." She had said lightly to Sango who quickly agreed and they both made a toast to it completely missing the cringe Ayame made and her nervous laughs from across the way.

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"Everyone off the bus." Kaede announced to the many students. She did not missed the hand signal Inuyasha made in her direction, a promising sign of her being hung sometime soon. Kouga and Miroku quickly shoved him forward waving innocently to the old woman as she turned her head to acknowledge them. She was known for pulling evil schemes and if being stuck on a mountain for one month wasn't torture enough they really didn't want to get on her bad side.

"As many of you young ladies have heard. The men already know with whom they are paired with. At this moment I will call your names and then announce your husbands name. You will go to him and the two of you will go into the building behind me and pull out the card of one house. I bid you to look at the payments on this house. Once you have a house go to it and your husband will tell you what is to come. Tomorrow you shall both seek jobs. Good luck."

She pulled out a paper and began to read from it randomly. Light claps came from the bus Ayame had ridden on when her name was called and just as she expected Kouga was her husband. Next came Sango who, to her horror, was matched with Miroku.

"Don't worry Sango it's only for about thirty days." Kagome tried to comfort. But Sango was already running over to Totosai begging to be switched.

"Kagome. You are with Inuyasha." Kaede announced

Kagome upon hearing her name and her husband giggled lightly looking to Inuyasha then to Kaede, "Wow did I just doze off! I'm sorry. Lady Kaede I didn't hear you right. Who is my husband again?"

"Inuyasha." The old woman repeated.

"Inuyasha…" Slowly her head turned to look into his eyes. He was grinning at her a wicked smile, "Hey honey."

Her scream that day reached a whole different pitch scientist did not know existed. The bus drivers later had to drive back down the mountain to replace their broken windows.

-

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"Would you come on already!"

"NO! Go Away!"

It was evening and less than one hour after Kagome had received the horrible news from Kaede. Inuyasha was pounding on the ladies room door screaming at her to come out, but she had planted herself onto a nice plushy seat with her arms crossed.

There was a still silence at the door for a moment and then the door opened. Kagome stood armed with a stick used to stroke the fire in the room.

"Kaomge? It's us your best friends Sango and Ayame." Both girls poked their heads in and slowly entered.

"Oh, hey." She dropped the stick and slumped back into her seat watching the fire.

"Are you going to come out anytime soon. You can't stay locked up in this bathroom forever." Ayame wasn't one to comfort, she always preferred the direct approach,

'_and besides_,' She reasoned '_either way she was stuck with her worst enemy no amount of comfort was going to change that._'

"Why me? Why me?" She moped, "Someone up above must really hate me."

"No just someone with a teaching credential." Sango drove her elbow into Ayame's rib hard, successfully silencing her.

"Hey Kagome what are you doing?" Sango bent down so she could look up into her friends usually lively eyes, now they were dulled and miserable, "Do you want Inuyasha to control you for the month?" If she knew anything about the girl before her, it was that she was a stubborn ox once she had her mind set on something.

Something of resentment flickered inside as a light within those eyes. She sat up, her face set in determination, "Him control _me_? Never..." Some sort of dark presence had moved in to engulf the girl, her voice changed to take on a deadly tone.

"Then lay down the law! Don't let him control how you feel!" Sango continued, yes! Her prep talk was working!

"Your right." Kagome stood up, "No way is that creep going to keep me down!"

"Yeah!" Sango and Ayame supplied, "These guys don't control us!"

"Yeah!"

-

-

-

"Dammit!" Inuyasha kicked the door then proceeded to pound on it again

"Maybe the girls failed on their mission." Miroku mused silently to himself, "Or she drug them down with her…"

"Kagome! I'm going to count to three! And if your not out here I'm going in there to drag you out!" Inuyasha hissed

"Why are you so stuck on getting her out?" Kouga questioned, "I would've thought that you'd be happy."

"Then my plan won't work!"

"What plan?"

"The plan to make her life a living hell!" He snickered evilly, "I'll make her so miserable she'll throw herself off of a cliff!"

There was a small shout inside of the room and then all went quiet again.

"One... Two!"

"Inuyasha…" Miroku was sneaking away from the door, "I don't think this is a good idea…"

"I agree with the Monk." Kouga added, "Don't do it Inuyasha."

"Three!"

The door burst open and out stepped Kagome followed by Sango and Ayame. All of them glaring at their husbands. Kouga and Miroku yelped a girls wrath was not something to mess with they knew, movingaway they proceeded to tell the girls it was all Inuyasha's idea to go inside. Inuyasha rolled his eyes in disbelief what had happened to "All for one and one for all?"

"Bout time you came out." Inuyasha smiled, "Now cmon!" He grabbed for her hand and yanked it forward.

"Who gave you permission to touch me!" With a snarl she snatched her hand out from his grip, "You don't touch me unless I say you can."

Inuyasha turned to her in shock stealing a look at her two friends, just what had they told her to get her out of the room? No matter. It didn't change very much of the plan. Turning around fully he gave her his best smile, "I'm sorry Kaggy! I just wanted to show you our new house and…" Producing the bag given to him on the bus Inuyasha gave her the teddy bear, "Happy Valentine's Day my love."

If he thought she was going to buy into such a pathetic plan he was dead wrong. The slit of her eyes narrowed dangerously, "What type of idiot do you think I am?" She snarled, "I know there's a catch to this."

"Your not an idiot, you're my wife." He took a step towards her taking her warm hand into his, that smile never leaving his face, "Listen Kaggy, I know lately we haven't been on the best of terms, but I'd like that to change on this trip. It's time for a new start."

Kagome eyed him weary, to anyone else that smile would have been sincere but she knew better. '_He has something up his sleeve…_' She thought, but she couldn't place what, what especially bothered her was that he was using her nice name, he had not used it since that day..., '_I should just play along_.' Tossing on a smile she accepted the bear with a nod.

"Your right Inupoo, lets start anew."

* * *

This is one of two parts since its a bit long. The next part will be up later today I promise! Thanks for the reviews!

Z


	4. Chapter 4: Part 2: New Start

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

New Start: Part 2

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"And here is our lovely home!" Inuyasha opened the door to the house and turned on the switch nearby.

"Wow! It's….amazing!" And it was. A soft pattern of blue and white decorated the walls while the furniture stood out in a nice brown. The theme was obviously something of being on an island. With Bamboo set as curtains in the windows and it also being the material used for the fan the place was looking like a vacation spot.

Kagome ran into the kitchen gasping as she saw the complete change, it was no longer island but like being in a modern day American kitchen. She wanted so badly to start looking within the cabinets and the refrigerator but Inuyasha was beckoning for her to go into the room.

"You already wasted enough time we need to hurry up and get dressed!"

"Dressed?" Kagome looked up at him with a blank expression making him roll his eyes.

"Yes dressed for the Valentines day thing. It's formal so wear something that doesn't….I mean wear something nice." He had just narrowly avoided that. It was hard not insulting her, but he encouraged himself to hold out, 'it will be worth it when we get to the dance…'

Kagome watched the many emotions playing across his face with a frown. Yep, he had something planned, 'I'll just have to out do him.' She smirked proceeding to close the door to her room and quickly change, "Oh and wear your best dress!" She heard him yell through the door.

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The building that was used for them to pick out houses had been converted into a dance.

The lights were low and hearts were placed to hang down from the tall ceiling as couples dressed in their best walked inside.

Kagome wore her favorite dress; a stunning blue which only reached her knees. And a pair of high heels in the color silver. Two silver earrings and a locket shaped like a heart were the only jewelry and she left her hair to hang.

Inuyasha wore a nice dark blue suit to compliment her dress. His silver hair also left to hang upon his back.

Offering his arm Inuyasha led Kagome into the building and towards a table where his friends and their 'wives' were seated.

"Kagome you look nice." Kagome's friends complimented her as she took her seat beside Ayame. "Thank you." They started to chat while the men looked to an innocent looking Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha…you're looking…"

"Guiltless." Miroku finished Kouga sentence watching their friend, "You havn't done anything to lady Kagome?"

"You heard the conversation." Inuyasha scooped up his red punch taking the smallest sip, "We are starting anew. Kagome? Would you like some soda?"

The girl looked over at him before nodding her head then watched him leave. He couldn't possibly do anything with a drink right?

"Wow Inuyasha certainly is a gentleman." Sango remarked

Kagome snorted back, "Yeah right."

"But he's being so polite. Maybe he was telling the truth about ending your little feud."

"He's up to something. I can feel it." Kagome shot back right before Inuyasha reappeared soda in hand, "Here you are Kaggy." He set the drink within her lap before taking a seat.

"Thank you." She started to pull the tab

"I got the last Mountain Dew Red…just for you." He added causally,

When it registered in her mind it was already too late. She opened the tab and the shaken up can burst open pouring red soda all over her dress.

"Opps, someone must have shaken it." The man replied coolly watching her and her friends jump up and grab napkins trying to save the dress.

Kagome looked at him but stopped herself from scowling. She was still in the game.

She formed her lips upward to curve into a smile, "It's okay Inupoo, besides…I know red is your favorite color."

When most of the dress was saved Kagome stood up from her seat encouraging Inuyasha to follow, "I want some…alone time with you." At her friends gasped she winked. It was payback time.

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Inuyasha followed her in confusion outside to a small area where a nice pool was located.

She had her fingers laced between his until she stopped walking to face him.

Only a few people were outside with them but they were too engulfed within their own conversations to pay much attention to Inuyasha and Kagome. She reached up a hand stroking through his hair dreamingly.

"Oh Inuyasha…ever since this morning when you told me you wanted to start anew I've been waiting impatiently to get you alone."

"Kagome…" but the rest of the words died on his tongue. Her lips were slowing moving closer to him.

"Yes love. I knew exactly what you meant when you said you wanted to start over again…" She took a step forward succeeding in causing him to retreat a step backwards.

"You…did?"

"Yes…I did." She was too close now Inuyasha closed his eyes in wait of those lovely lips to meet his when he suddenly felt himself falling backwards.

He opened his eyes in time to see the evil smile upon Kagomes lips as she pushed him into the deep end of the pool.

He was surrounded by water and lots of it. Thrashing his arms out desperately he fought his way back to the surface while Kagome watched in amusement.

When he broke the surface he was furious, "You…YOU!"

"I know exactly what it meant." She interrupted, and then her smile widened, "You wanted a war."

Ignoring his colorful display of language she turned around and started walking back into the building, "I'm going on home, oh and Inuyasha." She stopped turning her head around to watch him swim to the side of the pool, "Love, your soaked all of the way to the skin! I hope you don't expect me to let you inside drenched like that."

She continued forward again laughing gaily to herself when he released a very loud yell.

-

-

Back at the table...

Everyone perked up at the yell from Inuyasha. Ayame, Kouga, Sango and Miroku yelled in unision, "He's not staying at my house."

"Guess we'll have to settle this with rock, paper, scissors." Ayame sighed

"Best out of five?" Kouga asked and everyone around the table agreed.

* * *

And theres part two! lol gotta love Kagome! Thanks for the reviews everyone you make me so happy! Well the next Chapter will be up next week unless by some miracle. I have a busy Thursday and Friday. I'll try Saterday or Sunday, but don't kep your hopes too high. Unless you want a really short chapter it's gonna take me awhile. Thank you!

Z


	5. Chapter 5: Surprises

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 5: Surprise!

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-

-

-

"How could you pick scissors!" Sango hissed to her 'husband' while she opened the door to their house.

"It just happened! I didn't know Ayame, Kouga and you were going to play rock!" Miroku walked inside grabbing a dry towel from their guest bathroom and tossing it a still cursing Inuyasha.

"I can't believe it." The monk started up conversationally, "You must have broken a record today. Just 'married' and she already kicked you out of the house!"

To Sango and Miroku's shock he only laughed back, "It was bound to happen sooner or later. I just wish I could be there to see the look on her face when she sees her little…present."

The couple looked at each other with an equally clueless expression. Then tuned their gazed to the still laughing young man on their couch.

-

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-

Outside the warm air flew inside through the young woman's open window. The lights were off but the moon provided the light needed. She sighed to herself as she took in the full damage of her dress. Lucky for her it was nothing a trip to the dry cleaners wouldn't fix, but still she knew there were hundreds of things she would rather spend her money on than this.

"Oh well," she smirked to herself, "Hopefully his little trip into the water did something to his suit." She usually didn't wish bad fortune upon others, but she felt justified in this special case.

Slipping off the dress Kagome carefully hung it on a stray hanger after she slipped into her nightgown. It wasn't too late but she was exhausted.

"Anyway…" She thought lazily dropping her head onto her pillow, "I'm job searching in the morning…" The small teddy bear Inuyasha gave to her early that morning brushed up against her arm and she brought to her chest snuggling the toy happily, just because she didn't like the guy didn't mean she could not like the gift right?

With her eyes heavy she yawned wide drifting off into sleep, but something was holding her back.

Reaching towards the nightstand Kagome allowed the light to flood the room only then did she notice the large bag that said, "Happy Valentines Day."

"For me?" Grabbing the bag she dragged it and it's contents closer to herself and dared a peek.

Well…nothing was moving.

She slipped her hand inside pulling out a large box. The cover read "chocolate".

The other girls had gotten similar gifts according to Sango and Ayame. She had assumed Inuyasha had eaten or destroyed hers. "Maybe he has a heart after all…" She opened the box and took out an especially big piece.

With the sugary substance within her hand she couldn't help but eat it, despite the small hole along the bottom, taking the morsel in one bite, but then instantly regretted it. She could feel it. Moving within her mouth.

Spitting out the chocolate she gasped at the sight of a half eaten cockroach. "Oh my gosh…" She had begun to struggle with the blanket to get off the bed, accidentally dropping the bag and everything else within it within her lap.

Rotting rose, more chocolate delights with insects inside, and a dead rat.

"Inu…inu…INUYASHA!"

-

-

-

It was hours later when Kagome was sure that she had gotten rid of any evidence of that bag. She had burned the rose and chocolates, and buried the rat. She had chosen to keep the bear, after all, nothing seemed wrong with it. At least not yet.

"That creep." She growled as she made her way back into bed. Scooping up her tossed down blanket from under the bed she retrieved the bear once again and tried to fall asleep but laying her head on her pillow she felt a paper scratching her.

Sitting up she growled as she read the letter It was from Inuyasha.

Kaggy!

Hope you liked my presents. I saw the stuff the school gave you, but I wanted to make your bag special...memorable. Didn't want the letter to be thrown out so I attached it to the bottom of the bag, I just wanted to leave you with some special words straight from my heart to yours. I'm glad we got paired up and I look forward to spending on entire month with you. Believe me. I'll make this the one month you'll never forget. Sleep tight!

-

-

-

It was midnight or close to that time, when she opened her eyes feeling very uncomfortable underneath the blanket. She felt all scratchy as if her skin was moving…

Her thoughts went back to the note. _Sleep tight_.

Going to her bag she grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number.

After a few rings a very groggy voice came on the other end of the phone, "Hello? Ayame speaking."

"Ayame, its Kagome. I'm coming over to your house in two minutes okay!"

Before the girl could respond however the line went dead.

-

-

-

Only hours later the sun poked it's head curiously into the sky signaling the start of the next day. Kagome groaned pathetically from the couch in Ayames' living room. She hadn't gotten an inch of sleep and when she closed her eyes all she saw were Insects and Rodents. Worse of all she couldn't stop the itches that were plaguing her body. Next time she saw Inuyasha he was going to wish he had drowned the night before.

At the songs of the birds Kagome rolled out off of the sofa. She needed to get home. With a yawn she walked to the door but stopped as she saw the note from Kouga asking her to go to Mirokus to tell them to get up by ten o' clock. She ripped off the note with another yawn. Couldn't kill her.

-

-

-

"YOU PERVERT!"

"Sango! Darling! Wait! It was an accident!"

"Well here's another accident!"

From the couch Inuyasha groaned trying to block out the screaming, and shattering of glass against walls. Couldn't they give it a rest? It was six in the morning.

"Sango don't!" Another shatter and a loud echo from a door being shut. Inuyasha sighed in relief.

_'Finally…now I can-'_

"MIROKU!"

"Sleep." Inuyasha was beginning to regret ruining his wife's dress and getting kicked out of the house, if this was the punishment given the chance to redo that, he would have been an angel. Thinking about his wife again he wondered what she was doing.

"No duh; Sleeping."

Another loud crash sounded and the yells of a man in pain ran through the house.

From the door the bell was pushed.

Everything fell eerily silent from upstairs and then both their voices were heard. "Inuyasha? Could you get that?" The silence was kept for another moment and then the abuse was started up again.

The young man shook his head and stood up yawning as he went to the door. Lucky for him he was in a shirt and long pants borrowed from Miroku.

"Hello?" He opened the door finding himself being glared at by a very tattered Kagome.

"YOU!" She definitely wasn't looking her best. With hair disheveled and bags under her eyes, not to mention that she was still in her pink pajamas but they were stained with chocolate Inuyasha could clearly see that the woman before him was not a happy bird.

"My darling wife!" He chirped, "And how was your night?"

"You. you…I could…I would…you…" Her face was turning a dangerous shade of crimson at her growing anger, making Inuyasha even happier.

'_I take it back, this was worth it just to see this look on her face._' He grinned cruelly, "Whats the matter Kaggy? Rat got your tongue?"

She was mad. So mad that nothing was coming out of her mouth. Finally she seemed to settle down forming her face into a set glare.

"This isn't over Inuyasha." She finally said, strangely it was calm differing with her facial expression. Before he could reply she slammed the door shut in his face catching his foot between the door. Shewalked back to her house with a backgroundof furious curses left in her wake.

-

-

-

-

With the war heating up viciously between Kagome and Inuyasha, their friends were working overtime trying to keep the peace and bring some no strings tied laugher.

"You must be trying to run for the part of Mr. Scrooge in this years Christmas play Inuyasha." Kouga tried

"Well he certainly is hideous enough." Kagome muttered.

Immediately Kouga and Miroku grabbed a ready to blowInuyasha and dragged him away while Sango and Ayame did likewise with Kagome.

"C'mon Kagome, lets just forget about him and find some awesome jobs." The girls led her to a small booth.

Kagome sighed trying hard to forget him then turned to her friends, "Yeah, okay. Besides, there will be plenty of time to make him pay for what he did."

That wasn't exactly what they were aiming for but beggars certainly couldn't be choosers.

"So what do you want to be?" Sango asked both girls.

"I don't know. I just hope I don't end up being something like a trash person." Ayame admitted

"Or a cafeteria lady." Kagome added and all of them started to laugh.

"Well, let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best."

Crossing their fingers the girls entered into the building that would decide their careers for the time that they stayed on the mountain.

Inside was quiet and concentrated. The building was almost like a bank with a large lobby and people standing in corners of the room filling out papers.

"Kaede explained this process briefly," Sango said, "We just go to the front and get a test. We fill it out according to our interests and knowledge and then we turn it in. The computer will scan through and tell us which career better suits us."

Kagome nodded and walked forward volunteering herself as the guinea pig among the three students. She approached one lady at the front desk who asked her, her name.

"Kagome Higarashi." She replied easily watching the woman type something into her computer.

"And your husband?" The woman asked

Her teeth locked against each other in anger, she answered the question darkly, "Inuyasha Taisho."

The lady looked over her glasses at the fuming girl she cocked an eyebrow, "Relationship problems?"

"You have no idea." She thought back to the rotting roses and sleepless night.

The woman continued to type again, "Don't worry sweetheart it happens to everyone, then you'll both get over it and it will be like nothing ever happened." The woman printed out five papers and stabled them and the held them out.

"I doubt that." Kagome admitted, but she took the papers with a nod of thanks retreating to a small booth to take the test in silence.

-

-

-

-

It took two hours for everyone to complete their tests and hand them in. They were told to go to another building across the way to find out the results.

Sometime between then the men and women had run into each other and decided to walk together to find the results.

Everyone waited for the fight to break out between Inuyasha and Kagome. Amazingly enough, nothing happened. None of them knew the lack of sleep and endless yelling had finally caught up with their energy levels; to say they were exhausted was an understatement.

Miroku was about to bring it up, but fell into the comfortable silence at one fair look from Sango.

"We are here." Taking one collective inhale the group walking into the building.

Miroku was the first to approach the desk and began talking to a young lady behind the desk. Everyone waited patiently for him to return with their papers.

"Is it taking a bit too long for him to return with the result?" Ayame questioned watching the man lean into the desk easily.

"Yeah your right. Its starting to look like he's flirting." Kagome pointed out just as the girl giggled.

"Why wouldn't I be surprised?" Inuyasha replied watching the wrath spread across Sango's face. She suddenly rolled up her sleeves walking forward, "I'll get him."

The remainder of the group watched in amusement as the angry woman smacked him across the back of the head and started to yell. Then Miroku tried to soothe her into a calm state touching her in a place that set her anger over the edge.

Everyone winced as she delivered a very pain filled slap to his cheek, then spoke a few not so kind words to the lady,and returned carrying small envelopes the woman had all but thrown at her obviously whatever Sango hadsaid had been far from a thank you.

Sango opened hers first smiling, "I'm an undercover agent!" and then she opened Mirokus, "And the pervert is a lawyer. Kouga is a football coach. Ayame is a Receptionist. Inuyasha is law enforcement and Kagome is a nurse."

* * *

Ha! an here is the next chapter! Mostly intended to show Inuyasha getting back at Kagome. Ya'll didn't think he would take it lying down did ya? Working on Next Chapter should be up during the week if I'm lucky. Almost done with school yay me! So if you all would spare me mercy and let me slow down with the updates for awhile I can finish up and update awhole lot faster! Well next on the agenda is a small deal and some history between Kaggy and Inny. What happened to make them hate each other so much? gunna find out! Thanks for the review! they mean soo much and they keep me writing!

Z


	6. Chapter 6: A Deal

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 6: A Deal

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-

"Home at last!" Tossing off her shoes, the young woman ran into her room and dropped onto the bed.

Light filtered in through a simple window amazingly enough bringing comfort rather then annoyance to her as she tried to nap away the events of the previous days.

"Just one hour…" She whispered yet the sun seemed to have hidden while she closed her eye lids. Was she just being restless? Kagome opened her eyes discovering that indeed dark had fallen and she lay within its shadow a tall figure with arms crossed and gazing down upon her with glaring gold.

"Inuyasha…"She had forgotten about him when the door came into view, "Aren't monsters supposed to hide under the bed?" She sat up with a tired groan ignoring his snarl, "What do you want? And who said you could come into my room?"

"We need to talk Kagome. About this predicament a certain someone placed us in."

Ahh…Kagome was up now despite the yowls from her body demanding why she tortured it so much, this was something important, "I am almost positive that this was just a mistake. Lets go to Totosai and get changed."

At his nod she walked back to the door and placed her shoes on. Yes if she got rid of him then this lack of sleep would definitely be worth it.

-

-

The couple found the office of Totosai and the other teachers were inconveniently structured in themiddle of the city. Being at the disadvantage of not having a car, they settled for taking one of the many buses which now had daily routes and different bus numbers.

Finding the number of the bus needed was not hard nor was getting to one of the many stops, waiting was the ultimate problem.

They did not speak; just being near each other was enough to bring anger and old pain. Inuyasha sat down on a bench trying hard to forget that Kagome was even beside him, but his heart wouldn't allow him to.

"Five years…"

"Huh?" The young man turned his head slightly towards the girl who had just spoken. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her turn and smile sadly towards him silently she continued, "It will be five years exactly at the end of the month. Five years since our four years…"

He glared ahead angrily. She was talking about their relationship. They had dated for four years straight, but ended it five years ago to fall into a cold stalemate. A bitter smile came across his face, "This is the last year you ever have to see me again. You thrilled?"

She glared at him turning fully around so her eyes were focused on the road, "I know you are. I'll be leaving for collage soon to get smarter and I just know how much you hate smart people."

"I don't hate smart people. Just you." He stated coldly, just as the bus pulled up. Standing up he didn't even bother to look into her eyes to see how she had reacted to what he had just said. After the school year was over he would never have to see her again anyway so what did he care?

-

-

_"Inny? How long will we be friends?"_

_"What? What are you talking about Kaggy?"_

_"Momma says most friendships end and that when we go to the big school we won't be friends anymore most likely."_

_"Oh, well that won't happen with us."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Cause we'll be best friends forever."_

_"Oh…Inny? How long is forever?"_

_"Um…it's…well it's…forget it! Forever is a long time alright?"_

_"Hahahaha okay Inny."_

Kagome stepped onto the bus fuming silently though she did not know why. She should have expected that reply, she _was_ expecting that reply so then why was she reacting so harshly to his words?

She took a seat in the back sitting on the other side of Inuyasha while watching the scenery pass before her window. It felt like another life when the two had been best friends playing everyday together until sunset. It seemed even longer than that when the two had decided to give dating a try, '_That was the biggest mistake of my life._' She decided firmly. During that time nothing had gone as expected. They had never really fought or anything, but they pulled away from each other. Everyday. And then on that moonless light they had ended it. Everything they had for about ten years.

The bus pulled to a stop before a medium sized building standing directly in the heart of the city. Standing up she left the bus. After this year she would never think about him again if she could help it, in collage she would make it her goal to never meet him anywhere again.

-

-

-

"So you want to be divorced?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes, and married to someone else."

"But what about your vows? What about your declaration of love for one another?"

"What declaration of love?"

Inuyasha and Kagome sat in confusion on two sofas facing an older man who looked at them in sadness and some anger.

"When you young people got married, you made vows to one another. To be with each other through the good and bad times sickness and health till death due you part, and you want to go back on that all because you don't satisfy the other in bed!"

Kagome felt her world come crashing down from the embarrassment attacking her. She wanted to do one of two things at the moment. One jump across the desk and kill Totosai for even thinking what he had just yelled or Two just melt into the ground because she was positive everyone in the building had heard what he just said.

"Totosai…"Inuyasha was ready to strangle the old man. His fists were curled into a tight ball, nails digging into tender flesh as he resisted the urge to beat some sense into him. Inuyasha only restrained because of this mans power to get him out of the house occupied by his worst enemy, and if he was dead then all would be lost.

"This is a class project Totosai…we are all assigned husbands and wives. We didn't make any vows because we aren't really married." He tried slowly.

Totosai looked at him blankly and then cocked his head to the side curiously, "Sooo you aren't married."

"No." Kagome and Inuyasha announced together.

"Then why are you together?"

"Because of the project." Kagome reminded him. Now that he wasn't shouting to the world she had found her voice and dignity back.

"What project?"

"The marriage one. Where the teacher assigns us a husband or wife and we live the life of a married couple for a month."

"Soo you are married then?"

"So says the project yes." Kagome answered

"And you want me to divorce you?" He questioned

"Just give us someone else to finish the project with." Inuyasha snapped

"Alright."

Both the young man and the young woman sighed in relief and thanked the man before settling into their seats in comfort waiting for him to start the paperwork and tell them who their new partners would be.

Minutes fell while the elderly teacher watched the couple blankly. They seemed to be expecting him to do something but he had no idea what.

Fifteen minutes passed on with the three still in silence. Kagome frowned wondering why Totosai was not doing anything at all except staring blankly at her. Inuyasha tapped an index finger impatiently against the arm of the sofa trying hard to tame is fury.

Leaning forward Kagome decided she had better do something before she became the sole witness to a very brutal murder, "Um…Totosai?"

"Yes? Oh what do you want?" He asked back happily

"Why aren't you doing the paperwork and stuff?"

"What paperwork?"

"For our 'divorce thing'"

"Oh your two are getting a divorce? How sad, and after that lovely wedding and the beautiful heartfelt vows." He looked sadly to Kagome, "Did he disappoint your expectations?"

Kagome and Totosai both jumped when Inuyasha stood up from the sofa and slammed his fists into the desk leaving two holes in the wood, "Old man…Don't tell me you forgot all about what I just explained not even one hour ago."

"Then I won't tell you." He replied smartly turning to Kagome and whispering into her ears, "Oh dear why did you ever get married to such a violent person. You should get a divorce."

Kagome sighed in frustration, "That's the reason I came to you. To get a divorce!"

"Oh you did? Why?"

"You're the person to go to get a separation." She felt her head throb painfully when he still didn't seem to look at her with understanding.

"I am?"

"YES!"

"Oh! Why didn't you say so before!" With this reply Totosai seemed to relapse back into the comfortable, clueless silence from before. Kagome and Inuyasha were ready to explode. Fortunately for him Kaede stepped into the room holding some papers. At the sight of Inuyasha and Kagome she smiled.

"Ah Inuyasha and Kagome, and how have you two been doing so far?" She placed the papers on the desk taking note of the two holes with a nod.

"Horrible." Kagome stood in front of her with pleading eyes, "Lady Kaede please give me a different husband."

"Ask Totosai, that task is not mine." She replied smoothly, almost _too _smoothly. Crossing his arms in front of himself Inuyasha snarled at the old woman, "You planned this didn't you old hag? To set us up together and the assign Totosai the task of divorces because you knew with his short memory we would never be separated."

Kaede did not smile nor did she frown from his accusation. Instead she walked to the door, "Let us talk in my office." What she had to say to this couple would not be something a teacher would say.

-

-

-

-

Kaedes' office turned out to be more than just a small room with chairs and a desk. Her office in fact was more of something like an apartment; living room, dining room, bed room, kitchen, bathroom. They took their seats in her front room admiring the softness of the seats.

"How long has it been since you two dated?" Kaede started, it would be no use trying to start off friendly and play the game of asking twenty one questions. It was safe to say there was little to no love between the three so being direct was going to spared them all the agony of this meeting.

"Five years." Kagome answered again the words were quiet as she tried to silence the memories.

"Yes indeed Five years of pure hatred. I have decided this ends between you two this month upon this mountain." She announced

"And who the hell gives you the authority to decide our lives?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Inuyasha." The old woman turned her aging eyes upon him. Her stare so intense he felt himself jumping squirming uncomfortably. "You were a baby when I first met you. I have been in your life since then. I was there when you were first walking, I was there when you were first talking, I was there when your parents divorced and your father died and your mother nearly lost you and when you got that arrogant attitude of yours because your life was falling apart. I am practically your grandmother and that gives me the authority to step in when you are making the biggest mistake of your life."

"Lady Kaede?" Kagome whispered but was interrupted when she began to speak again.

"I have known you both since you were in diapers and never have I seen you or expected to see you this way. Seniors and hating the sight of each other when, as toddlers, you always bragged about how you were going to be best friends forever."

"Well that was then and this is now." Kagome stood, "We grew up and met reality. Reality is that forever is a dream."

Kaede turned around watching as Kagome walked to the door. The young woman stopped when she was halfway, "Since it is obvious that you plan on making us stay with each other for a month Inuyasha we need to make a deal."

"You work day shifts and I'll night shifts. That way we won't have to see each other." Inuyasha announced ignoring the pained look he received from a particular teacher.

"We don't speak, we stay out of each others way and if we absolutely need to discuss something we will say it through Sango, Miroku, Ayame or Kouga." With that deal sealed she closed the door, her indication of their deal starting that very instant.

"So you two really plan on not speaking to each other for the entire month?"

"Yes." Inuyasha stood up too heading for the door, but he turned to look at the woman one last time shaking his head, "Her Mother said it before, 'not all friendships last. When you grow up, you move in different directions and outgrow each other.' Give it up Kaede, nothing you do will change anything."

When the door had closed behind him Kaede sat down lost in her thoughts. She replayed what Inuyasha had said and what Kagome had said before sighing in defeat.

"Those youngsters just don't get it." She mused as she reached for her phone and dialed a number, "I'm not giving up." Talking to a young woman on the other end of the phone, she asked her a favor, one in which the other woman quickly agreed to without another thought. As the details were settled upon Kaede smiled to herself finally hanging up the phone after some hours of serious conversation, "They will end this this month."

* * *

Sorry it took awhile to update! I said, on my main page, that it would take me being strung up in a hospital for me not to update or being stuck on an island with no computer. Well I think I jinxed myself XD I did end up in the hospital this week because my rabbit bit me, and I went into annapolistic shock or whatever they call it. and in March my family is going on a road trip to visit some collages for my sister and I doubt we are taking the lap top. So I'll try to update as much as possible with long chappies, but it aint lookin good right now. Thanks for the reviews by the way!

Oh and if ya can go to the movies and watch "Madea's Family Reunion" It is good! Tyler Perry is tha best! You won't be disappointed! He is the producer/ director of thehit "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" ((if you see that by the way can you believe that that manson isTylers house! in real life! my gosh!)) That movie was excellent tooits a comedy people not a horror flick so don't let the Mad Black Woman part deter you though I would suggest not angering a black woman:P lol just wantedto throw that out there! Thanks!

Z


	7. Chapter 7: Little Ones

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 7: Little Ones 

_Inuyasha,_

_Your lunch is on the counter. Breakfast in the microwave and Dinner is in the refrigerator. If you don't like what I made. Tough._

_Your loving Wife,_

_Kagome_

It had been four days and the arrangement was working nicely even with Kaede's small interferences. She was determined to put them back together, just as determined as they were of staying apart.

-

-

"It is now a requirement that you both fulfill your duties as husband and as wife within your marriage. Kagome must cook and clean, Inuyasha must keep the house fixed and pay the bills." She announced within her office after calling the two together.

"Fine I'll make something to eat." Kagome said, "And keeping the house clean is not a problem."

"Ah." Kaede interrupted, "But that includes keeping your husbands things clean. Doing his laundry and cleaning his room."

"Not a problem." She turned to Sango also at the meeting serving as a communicator between them, "Sango. Tell Inuyasha that on Wednesdays he has to sleep in the guest room. I'll start leaving sticky notes around the house for small conversation."

At this the old teacher beamed. Any breakthrough for communication was going to be embraced; appreciate the small blessings as well as the big ones.

Sango quickly told Inuyasha who nodded back to her, "And I'll keep the house up to date. It's not like anything will beak anyway…"

-

-

Why had he said that?

Ever since things had been conviently breaking or going out suspiciously most things were broken in Kagome's room than anything else.

That Lady Kaede was a sneaky one indeed.

Kagome and Inuyasha quickly worked out a plan for when things broke. She would pin up a red scarf on her bed room door before she went to work. By the time she got home everything was fixed.

Upon seeing the note pinned on his door, he frowned following the directions for finding his dinner.

"Hot curry, broccoli, and red rice." Everything he hated. That woman…

Putting the food back upon its shelf, he decided to explore what lunch was. When he found it he wished he had not.

Within a small bag contained that rat he had blessed her with. Obviously she hadn't thrown the thing away. Evidence of a burial clung to rotting flesh and fur as maggots ate away half decayed eyes. Inuyasha felt like throwing up.

Something white beneath the dead body caught his attention and he decided to take a closer look. Underneath the rat lay a perfect cupcake, home made and brimming with icing.

"That conniving witch," Her cupcakes were beyond good, actually surpassed Ramen in Inuyasha's mind. She happily made him one just his gift to her ruined his chances of eating it. He got the message loud and clear. It took all of his power to throw away that delicious bread covered treat. He cursed her silently even though she was asleep.

"Now breakfast…" She must have been on a roll that morning. What disgustingly twisted concoction had she made for his last meal of the day? Taking a deep breath Inuyasha opened the microwave to find that she had only left a small note.

_Inuyasha_

_Hope you enjoyed what I made for Lunch and Dinner. If you don't. You'll live…I just wrote this note to tell you I never got the chance to make your breakfast you'll just have to hold over until your dinner tomorrow!_

_Love,_

_Kagome_

"That little…" He would have screamed if she was not sleeping. Then again why did he care if he woke her up?

Upon his watch the numbers flashed to 5:30 pm. He would have to leave now if he wanted to get there on time at 6.

'I'll get her back later,' he thought before opening the door and stepping out. Just because they weren't speaking did not mean the war was over.

Far from it.

Kagome didn't just make him that meal because she could. It was actually because of the water hose stunt he had pulled the day before.

It had been perfect.

Every morning the water system came on, and because it was his job to fix everything he quickly became familiar with the settings. With Kagome and her love for fresh air, particularly from the open window it as elementary work to set the water to aim through her open window and upon her.

The meals were also for the Valentines gift too perhaps, but only partially since she had already drowned his bed with red ants for that, still though if it was because of the gifts he had to wonder how long she could hold a grudge.

'No matter I can hold one just as long.' He thought smugly, opening the door.

He was so distracted, however, that it slipped his mind to lock it to prevent unwanted intruders.

-

-

-

The morning sun was just peeking over the horizon when the small alarm clock beside the woman's bed sounded. Taking a yawn she reached over to stop the noise, but before she could touch the button someone else did for her.

"Inuyasha?" What was he doing in her room? Sitting up slowly she got herself prepared to kill him. But turning her tired eyes she found herself face to face with a child.

"Hello!" Kagome's eyes widened when he smiled, "You must have been really sleepy because you just called me Inuyasha. I've never been called that before!"

"Who are you? And how did you get in here?" She had never seen this child before her entire life, she was positive. The red head boy grinned even wider jumping into the bed with her.

"I'm Shippo! And I used the front door to get in." Suddenly the smile disappeared as he cocked his head to the side, "Your really brave to be leaving the door unlocked at night."

"Leaving the door unlocked… Inuyasha!" Anger boiled to it's melting point. Did he want her to die that badly!

"Um…are you okay?"

"I'm going to kill him."

"Who?"

Kagome turned towards Shippo trying to calm herself. This little boy did not need to see something so violent so young. Encouraging him to sit and stay on the bed the young woman slowly stood up.

"Now Shippo, I'm going to deal with someone, so please wait here. If you hear any screaming don't be scared, and don't come out to see what's wrong. Just stay here and I'll be right back." When he nodded understanding she walked towards the front door closing it behind her with a sigh.

"Um…"

Kagome shot her head up to find herself face to face with yet another child, this one blushing in embarrassment, "And who are you?" She tried tentively

"I'm Souta." A smile formed on his lips, "I didn't want to wake you so I stayed out here."

Two children? Inuyasha was really going to get it.

"Well Souta please go into my room and wait there with Shippo okay? I need to deal with someone…" As he ran into the room she stormed towards Inuyasha's room.

At seeing the door shut she rose her fists pounding violently upon the door, "INUYASHA!"

-

-

The yell was terrifying. So much so he stumbled out of the bed and landed on his face with a none too kind thump. Growling as he stood up, the teenager opened the doors to what he could have testified as the entrance gates to the underworld.

"Who the hell?" He watched wide eyed as she turned a dangerous color and then opened his door completely actually snapping it off of it's hinges.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!" Inuyasha back away from the door as she drew closer she was breathing fire and no where near cooling down. To his despair he had no idea what she was talking about, "What is my problem?" He asked in uncertainty.

"I'LL TELL YOU YOUR PROMBLEM! YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'RE A HEARTLESS, STUPID, POMPOUS IDIOT! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Her blood level was sky high, her temper enough to melt the floor beneath her.

Inuyasha quickly moved to put space between them, while he tried to figure out what he had done. Okay this would be understandable if he had pulled his latest idea, but he hadn't even gotten the supplies yet, how she found out that he was planning on relocating her body to the edge of the city while sending out, to the local press, dozens of baby pictures of her naked in the tub for the gossip column? And how did she find out that he was also planning on taking the money earned from this publicity to buy her a book called, "Why Your So Ugly".

Before he could come up with an answer she continued, "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME SO EXPOSED!"

"Sheesh you act like I've done it already." He muttered bitterly to himself.

"You did! You already left the door unlocked you MORON!" She screeched

"Door? That's it?" This was about an unlocked door? It wasn't about his ingenious plan to humiliate her?

"WELL DUH!" Suddenly she stopped yelling to watch him suspiciously, her tone lowered to that of a death lord, "Unless there is something else I should also be upset about…"

Inuyasha quickly shut his mouth. He needed to get the edge in this argument, either that or be eaten alive bones and all! "Okay so I accidentally left the door unlocked, its not like nothing happened."

At this most of the anger seeped out of her body to be replaced with annoyance, "Wow are you Ignorant." Before he retaliated she locked her gaze on him much the same way Kaede had. He fell quiet allowing her to continue more calm, "There are two children in our house."

"What?" What was she talking about?

"Shippo and Souta. Shippo and Souta entered through the unlocked door last night and have been with me since then." She stated matter-of-factly.

Suddenly Inuyasha realized where she was getting at with this. It could have been more than two kids, and they would have been there all night beside a sleeping Kagome. Inuyasha sighed, wondering why that realization struck him as hard as it did. Why did he care for this brat?

"So where did they come from?"

"I haven't asked yet."

"Well then lets go do that, so they can go back home." Leading the way out of the room, (shooting a glare to his wife at the sight of the broken door) Inuyasha opened the door, to find a small boy on the phone while the other watched intently.

"Oh! Here is the guy…yeah Inuyasha, the one she said she would kill! …well he appears fine…no…no broken bones…he's not bleeding…he does look like he could be in shock…do they have a what?...I don't know lemme ask." Pulling away from the phone Shippo looked cocked his head to the side, "Um Inuyasha right? Do you own a gun?"

Inuyasha frowned, before shaking his head, with this answer the boy went back to his conversation soon after looking up to question Inuyasha again, "How about any knives, pills, ropes, pillows, or plastic…or household cleaning objects, bats, swords, or gasoline?"

Scratching the side of his head, he went into thought, "Lets see knives yes, pills no, ropes no. pillows yea, plastic I guess, cleaning items yea, bat no, sword no, gasoline yeah."

Shippo relayed this just as Kagome walked through the door. He grinned in joy, "Kagome! Huh? Oh yes she just appeared…no she doesn't look wounded…she's not bleeding..."

"Shippo who are you talking to?" She asked just as he answered another question.

Looking up with a smile, the second young boy answered, "The police, and the hospital. We're on Three-way! Oh and the press is listening in too I think!"

"WHAT!" In a flash Inuyasha and Kagome forgot their hatred of each other and put their heads together. Inuyasha snatched the boys from the bed, just as Kagome grabbed the phone trying to explain that the phone call was a misunderstanding.

Seconds later she hung up in exasperation to look at Shippo and Souta, "What were you two doing?"

"Well you told us to stay here while you killed someone. I heard lots of yelling and things breaking." Shippo began

"And mom always told us that if something scared us call 911." Souta finished, both looked up grinning in pride.

"What you expecting us to give you a cookie?" Inuyasha growled smacking them both upside their heads.

Kagome faced him in anger, "Inuyasha what was that for?" Suddenly the answer was not important as her itching arm. All boys watched in interest as she began a fervent scratching of her arms and legs. Inuyasha smiled evilly.

"Never mind…Shippo, Souta where did you come from?" Her itches had moved to annoy her neck.

"In Tokyo city. Down the mountain."

"And who are you staying with here?" She reached for her back.

"You. And him." Shippo pointed to Inuyasha wondering why he couldn't get that grin off of his face, "Lady Kaede dropped us off here and told us this was where we would stay with our new parents for the month."

"Your kidding." These itches were getting ridiculous! She had tried all types of creams and ointments, but ever since that first day she could not stop herself from scratching when in bed. Maybe it was the sheets?

"Kaede has lost it." Inuyasha declared while standing up, he went to the door before turning to the young boys, "Come on you two. We are getting ready to go to Kaede so lets give Kagome some privacy."

When the door was shut Kagome ran into the shower armed with a back scratchier.

-

-

-

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Did you _not_ see the brats here?" Inuyasha snapped

They were back in the office of lady Kaede watching the old woman's unnerving smile from a sofa. Shippo and Souta had run into one of the rooms to play video games.

"Ah Shippo and Souta! Yes they will be your sons for the remainder of the project."

"You never said anything about sons!"

"I never said anything about _not_ having sons." She announced taking a small sip of tea, "I told you that you would be living the life of a married couple and married couples typically have children."

"But we can't have a child let alone two." Kagome insisted, "Inuyasha works night shifts and me morning. I would be the only one caring for them,"

"Exactly why Inuyasha will have to change his shift to work mornings also, he will participate."

They fell silent allowing this new piece of news to set in. They were losing in this battle against Kaede and they knew it. She leaned back happily praising herself on a job well done. Kagome tried again, "What about their parents? I'm positive they would not have agreed to something like this."

"And yet they did." She recalled the conversation she had with the boys mother the day when Kagome and Inuyasha first entered her office. "She gives you her best of luck. And you may have them for as long as you wish."

Inuyasha began to figure these kids must be brats if their mother handed them over on a silver platter without so much as a single argument. Now he had two sons for the month…

"You will be a family. Go to the park, cook for them, clean up after them. Love them. Shippo and Souta will be in direct contact with me, meaning if they are not happy both of your grades will be affected. That is all." Now they would _have_ to talk! And spend time with each other! They _have_ to get along!

"Why are we the only couple with brats?" Inuyasha muttered sourly, did she only delight in torturing them and them only? Flashbacks of how he had greeted her as they stepped off the bus assaulted him. He knew she might make things harder, but this? This was just evil!

"Hmm you may be right Inuyasha." The teacher picked up her phone beginning to dial a number she knew by memory, "I will fix that."

-

-

-

The door bell sounded loud and deliberate within the nice sized home. Stepping forward rubbing his eyes in exhaust Miroku answered the door to be greeted by a young boy holding onto a small cat and a giddy little girl.

"Um Hello…how can I help you?" Miroku was at a lost for words, he didn't even know kids lived on this mountain.

"My name is Rin and this is my older brother Kohaku. For the month we live here and you're our father." The bundle in Kohaku's arms had struggled out of his grip landing within the house and running for the couch, "And that's Kirara, my cat." As they watched, the young animal made herself a comfortable place and settled down into a light nap.

"O." Now he was completely speechless, the stork landing on your front porch with an adorable infant was something his mother had told him was the way to get a baby, but he hadn't believed her until this moment.

"Miroku? Whose at the door?" From upstairs Sango's voice sung out eating away the awkward silence.

In an equally loud voice he yelled back while Kohaku brought their stuff inside, "Our son Kohaku, our daughter Rin and our cat Kirara."

-

-

-

Ayami watched the two girls setting up within her guest room with an open mouth.

"What did you two say again!"

The first child turned around to watch the stammering cop she wore small pair of jeans with a blue and black shirt. Her hair tied back into a simple pony tail. In an exasperated voice she started again with what she had told the young woman at least three times already. "I'll make this as simple as I can. I am Souten and this is Shiori and we will be your daughters for the remainder of the month. Got it?"

"Yeah." Sliding down the side of the door Ayame's legs gave out to the shock. If this project wasn't hard enough…and as far as she knew, her and Kouga were doing the best out of all of her friends. She couldn't imagine how her situation could get any harder. Being married to Kouga was no joke as is, now they had to have kids?

"Mommy?" The little girl, Shiori walked towards her purple eyes bright with concern, "Are you alright?"

She adorable one of those kids you wished you could cuddle forever. She was in a simple white gown complimented with bows in her hair to keep the lovely bluish white from flowing into her tan face.

"I'm okay Shiori…Just taken aback…I'll be fine." Whatever happened for her to get children she was positive it was Inuyasha's fault. Who else could sway Kaede enough to do such a thing? Kagome brought out her saddest side, but that mutt brought out her inner demon. "He's going to pay…"

"Who?" Both girls perked up staring at a fuming Ayame in interest.

"It's nothing. Don't concern yourself with it. Lets just get you two unpacked."

Meanwhile she allowed her mind to ponder what Kouga's reaction would be. He wasn't going to take this news lightly…

* * *

This took forever to put up and I am soo sorry! Well this will be the last time it takes that long I'm happy to say, because I did get all of my credits done and I am done with High School completely! Hurray for me! I do have a very important job interview comming up this Wednesday wish meh luck! And the trip was postponed till April so I won't be going anywhere for two weeks! I'll be updating a bunch faster at least once a week including for "On All Fours". So your wait was not in vain! Thanks for your Reviews they are cherished! 

Z


	8. Chapter 8: Not Fighting

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

Chapter 8: Not Fighting

-

-

-

Having two sons had quickly proven to be a difficult task, or at least Shippo and Souta made it difficult. And they had only had the boys for five hours.

It was Kagome who had gotten the brilliant idea of shopping for them, since it seemed to her that they did not have enough stuff in their three bags each to hold them over.

"No toys, no systems, no school supplies!" She rambled on as she grabbed a cart and began down the first isle half consciously slipping different cans into the cart, "What type of mother!"

"Kagome buy this!" Souta grabbed a colorful cereal box with a tiger on the front.

Receiving the box Kagome looked at the cover boredly, "'Frosted Flakes' huh? Just one big bowl of sugar as if you two need anymore help with your energy levels." While both boys groaned she put the box back on the shelf picking out Cheerios.

It seemed Kagome had taken to mothering quite quickly. Though she ran on about how irresponsible the boy's true parents were with her strong maternal instincts it was clearly obvious to anyone with a brain that they were in excellent care.

"So Dad." Souta started as he looked at the white haired boy falling behind.

"It's Inuyasha." He corrected.

"No it's not." Shippo ran over to his temporary father, "For the month your dad."

Inuyasha growled full of irritation. Unlike mother hen Kagome, he hated kids. Even baby's with their cute antics could annoy the living hell out of him.

"Get to the point you brat."

"Why do you and mom fight a lot?"

"We aren't fighting. Just talking loudly…" He tried slowly he knew this game. They would ask why to anything he answered until the truth was revealed. No way in hell was he going to end up spilling his heart to two boys barely out of their double digits.

"Why do you always talk loudly to mom then? If she's right in front of you then isn't it just a waste of breath?" Shippo wondered out loud.

"Listen you…" He didn't need to answer to these pests, rolling up his sleeves the boys knew they had gone too far.

"Mom! Dad's trying to hurt us again!" Shippo yelled narrowly missing the punch from a hard fist as he and Souta took cover behind Kagome.

The teenage girl turned around with a snarl. This girl was taking this mother business way too seriously in his mind. Souta and Shippo smiled when he retreated a step back, "Serves him right…"

If he wasn't sure that she would grind him up and throw his remains over the counter of the meat butcher, he really would have let that Shippo tyke have it.

-

-

-

It was growing to be midday upon the mountain. The fresh air coming from the winds was something to be cherished as you took in the breathtaking scenery. Evergreens and their leaves decorated the lands with scents while hidden rivers made a quick path throughout the rocks.

Kagome sat down taking in the beauty. This was a perfect end to such a successful shopping trip.

She had bought everything necessary and even something's that were not necessary because she could afford it. The back of the van was filled with bags as well as one brand new car seat for Shippo. She made a mental note to go back and buy another for Inuyasha's corvette that he declared those 'monsters' would never step three feet near if they wanted to keep their fingers.

"Yeah I know her already. I'm sure she'll say yes. Thanks bye." Inuyasha hung up his cell phone as he stomped towards her, "I hope that old hag is happy! Because of her little stunt I'm no longer in the interrogation department! No now I'm in the car!"

"Well being 'in the field' pays more anyway right?" From beside her, she slipped out a nicely wrapped sandwich handing it to the ranting young man as she gazed below herself to the fog that were clouds. They were above everything it seemed…

"Feh! That's not the point." He loved his job. Intimidating thieves into confessing and even some innocent people into saying they did it. That was perfect and he was the top dog in the field. Before taking a bite, Inuyasha suspiciously looked down at the food given to him, "Okay, what's in it?"

"What's in what?" Meanwhile she had grabbed an apple to chew on, her eyes traveled away from the scenery to watch the two boys, her sons, play a game they had just invented involving the pinecones on the ground as grenades and the sticks being swords or guns.

"Don't play dumb with me." Kneeling, he came to eye level with the young woman a glare on his face as he watched her innocent expression, "What did you put in this sandwich?"

"Bread, ham, turkey-"

"Raw?"

"No cooked…um tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, some pepper and vinegar, and thousand island dressing."

"Are you sure that's all you put in it?" He pressed the girl

Turning to him with a frown, Kagome allowed her eyes to narrow, "Why? Did you want me to put your cousin, the roach, in it?"

"I knew it! You did put something in it!"

"Did I say that! No I did not!"

"Not completely but you hinted towards it!"

"I did not!"

"Did too!"

Did _not_!"

Did _TOO_!"

Snatching the sandwich away from his grasp, Kagome screamed, "FINE! If you're so stuck on it being poisoned then _don't_ eat it!"

"I knew it was poisoned from the start cause _YOU_ made it!"

"You hate my cooking that bad than STARVE!"

"Better than tolerating your bad taste!"

"_FINE_!"

"_FINE_!"

"Mommy…Daddy?"

Inuyasha and Kagome shot their head ups to see two boys appearing extremely upset. Souta took a small step forward, "Are you two fighting?"

"No, of course not!" Kagome shifted in place uneasily, "Just…talking…"

"Why are you both so angry?" Shippo questioned, his eyes fell on Inuyasha who quickly looked away, for some reason he felt guilty, almost as if he had been caught with the bat in his hand seconds after a baseball broke through a window.

"Please don't fight." There was something in their eyes. Something was being hinted towards but not spoken. As Kagome tried to figure it out, Inuyasha voiced it.

"You real parents fight a lot?"

Both boys fidgeted in place. Shippo found seemed to find something very interesting along the ground while Souta found his shirt to be a treasure, "They yell a lot and then mommy gets sad. She starts to cry and daddy leaves. Daddy doesn't come back for days."

There was an awkward silence which rested upon the small group which was to be a family. No one seemed able to gaze into the others eyes. The silence seemed almost sacred, as if, if broken everything would fall apart.

The quiet was making everyone restless, yet no one was willing to be the first to speak. How were you to answer to that?

"Shippo…Souta…" Kagome started quietly, but again was succumbed to the demon who stole away their speech and words.

"We aren't your parents." Inuyasha tried to pick up from where his 'wife' left off, "If we fight neither I or she are going to just take off and leave you two."

The two boys seemed uncertain of that, and both teenagers realized right then the same fear would linger every time they raised their voices.

"How about this?" Kagome smiled down at them, "Inuyasha and I promise not to fight, and you two promise not to fight with each other."

Extending her hand out she watched their faces light up as they met it in the middle.

"Deal!" Both boys yelled, then turned to see why Inuyasha wasn't participating, "Dad?"

He gazed into each of their faces finally landing on Kagome with a strange look. They held each others eyes for what seemed like eternity; having a silent conversation and healing over old scars. Slowly a hand came out engulfing the children's and young woman's in his grasp, "Deal."

Kagome felt herself begin to blush with joy. Relieved. He had agreed and this may make their month bearable.

"No Fighting!" Everyone announced, breaking away the chains and smashing the guns within the war between two old friends.

-

-

-

The drive home was strangely light. Shippo and Souta took turns in their new game of annoying Inuyasha, who was being an amazing sport about it. Occasionally whipping around in his seat to tickle both of them back into their seats, while Kagome was stuck at a red light.

"Alright. Everyone out!" The car doors burst open with a flash of black, red and silver hair. The teenage girl somehow got swept into this tornado when Shippo declared her the 'safe base' After the tenth circle of boys running around her, she couldn't resist sticking out a foot. Beginning with Inuyasha and ending with Shippo they all fell atop each other one by one.

Kagome nodded to herself approvingly as she went to the truck, humming happily as if she didn't hear Inuyasha mumbling about why he ever agreed not to fight.She pulled out the various bags, "Inuyasha, could you lend me a hand? And you too Souta."

"So she asks for my help after breaking my back huh?" He stood in the middle of the lawn arms crossed in rebellion, "Well you can do it yourself you b-"

"No more fighting Inuyasha...the kids..." She sung just as both Shippo and Souta stopped to observe them. _'but then again if he called me **that** we wouldn't be fighting, I'll just kill him_.' She thought mildly to herself handing him a bag full of clothes, "This new thing will certainly be hard to complete..."

"What about me?" Shippo jumped up and down while his brother and father filled their arms.

"You be a big help and go open the front door." Kagome replied back shutting the trunk.

"Okay!" Snatching the keys he took off in a blurr but returned seconds later with a scowl, "No fair! It's already open."

"What?" They hadn't gotten to the door yet so how could it be open? Turning to Inuyasha he shrugged. They had locked the door before leaving after a big argument over getting better security if he was going to keep leaving the door unlocked after he left.

"I watched him lock it…" Stepping slowly into the house she walked towards the Front Room setting down her bags, "Hello?"

"Hello!" Standing before her were four children and a small cat.

"Don't tell me…" Was Kaede serious? Six kids and a pet!

"They aren't yours Kagome." Looking up from the young faces she saw Sango sitting on her couch beside Miroku, "Hey guys." Averting her gaze she caught sight of Ayame and Kouga also in her home, no one looked happy.

"So they are yours?" She asked just as Inuyasha stepped through the door followed by Shippo and Souta.

"Souten and Shiori are Ayame and Kouga's daughters." Sango pointed to the two girls standing in near identical outfits, "Rin, Kohaku and the cat Kirara are Mine and Miroku's."

"I see." Going through one of her bags, she slipped out a movie and herded the kids into the Living Room promising popcorn if they were good while the 'adults' talked.

Five minutes later she joined her husband on the loveseat in the room earning her plenty of incredulous gazes. Kagome just shrugged back while Inuyasha gave them a blank stare, both decided to go for the 'stupid' approach.

"Nevermind…" Kouga started as Ayame elbowed him gently in the ribs. Don't jinx something so wonderful.

"So how did you get in here? Could've sworn I locked the door." Inuyasha stated bluntly his friends gave him a glare to melt Mount Everest.

"We woke up in the morning to find kids who claimed to be ours. We all have a feeling you know something about this strange occurrence." Miroku began

"Uh…yeah." He gave a pleading look to Kagome but she skillfully evaded it. When henudged her she delivered a sly look that translated ruffly said, _'Yes we promised not to fight, but I didn't makea vow to help you through thick and thin_.'

He swallowed hard, "Kaede thought we needed to be more of a couple. She said couples usually have kids…so... she gave us kids."

"And this has nothing to do with something you did or said to her?" Ayame pressed. Her nails patiently drummed the table.

He shifted, "uh no not really…"

"That your final answer." Sango started with the drumming and their combined attack broke his composure.

"Maybe a little…" He flinched as they all sighed and threw hands up in frustration.

"What are we supposed to do with two kids?" Kouga growled

"And a cat, in our case." Miroku added

"We are in the same predicament. Lets all figure something out then." Kagome tried. After a few nasty words to Dog Boy everyone agreed with his wife.

The meeting surprisingly didn't take that long. The kids were angels watching the video while the adults talked about sleeping arrangements and job schedules.

"All of our houses, are only two bedroom." Kagome began by stating the obvious.

"Then we'll just have to share a room…" The combined groping after such a perverted comment served to knock out Miroku a good while. The others simply shook their heads in pity to him, but especially Sango who had to live with it.

"For Sango and Miroku the solution is obvious." Inuyasha started, "Kohaku rooms with Miroku and Rin rooms with Sango."

"As for you two..." Sango hesitated, "I hate to say this but the lecher may be right. You may just have to share a room." While Kouga and Ayame considered their option without much resistance, Kagome and Inuyasha blanched, "W-w-w-what?"

"Three girls in the same room are just as bad as three boys sharing the same room. The master bedrooms are relatively large. You two could fit two queen sized beds inside."

This was the last thing either one of them wanted to hear. They had just jumped the hurdle of not fighting every five seconds, now they had to share a room? It was bad enough sharing a house!

Kagome groaned to herself banging her head on the head rest behind her, "O what did I do to deserve this?"

-

-

After that initial shock, however, everything else went rather smooth. Sango and Inuyasha would be partners at their jobs, Ayame would serve as a teacher in the morning while everyone else was at work, and in the evenings Kagome would relieve Ayame until six when everyone would pick up their own kids. Saturdays everyone was pretty much on their own and Sunday mornings the guys would take the kids while the evening the girls would take the kids.

-

-

With smiles and hugs everyone began to file out of the house. As Sango and Ayame pulled their friend into a tight embrace they smiled, "I'm glad you and Inny are getting along."

Kagome snorted in anger, "Don't get too happy. After the end of this project I'm sure everything will go back to the way it was before."

She watched her friends sigh, swearing they looked disappointed in that answer, "I wish you two would get back together. You were so happy together…what went wrong?"

Inuyasha came into view and the girls quieted down. Saying their farewells and leaving.

Kagome waved to them from the door, recollecting the interrupted conversation. Like lead weight, her hand dropped to her side, she looked down, "What did go wrong?"

* * *

Finally! I had to get some help from the Admin of this site cause Document Manager wasn't letting me upload at all! I thank them though for helping me I nearly died when it kept saying error!

Well Yeah sort of a cliff hanger sort of not. Next chapter will reveal alittle more of their past sooo stay tuned! This one will take some longer, and hopefully be longer to read through. I'm thinking Saterday or Sunday this will be up. Thanks for the review and the idea to have them in the same room together - don't worry though it won't get R-rated or anything. But fluffy maybe ensured along with some interesting secrets!

Z


	9. Chapter 9: Buisness Miko with Powder!

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 9: Business Miko With Powder! 

-

-

-

Night fell swiftly and the boys were a dream about going to bed.

Kagome hadn't even said it once before they were knocked out in the room that used to be Inuyasha's. It was amazing what wonders moving furniture and running around the house for four hours did to Souta and Shippo's seemingly unreal energy levels.

"And our room is done!"

Kagome took a gaze around her room. She was sharing it with Inuyasha now meaning her decorative pink was thrown out the window.

-

-

Room decorating turned out to be quite a task. While Kagome loved her baby blue and pinks. Inuyasha said he wouldn't be caught dead ten feet near them.

His room was black and blood red. Kagome told him there was no way she would have her room looking like the gateways to hell.

"So what then?" He had asked after a few minutes of staring at the vast amount of space.

Blue and White.

The colors were neutral grounds; dark and light. His bed was Dark blue with white stripe pattern while her's was a white bed with dark blue stripe pattern.

-

-

Inuyasha sat on his bed watching the trees scratch at the windows. Their branches seemed to grow larger and develop menacing faces when the candles light was just right.

A faint memory from the past caused him to chuckle.

"What 's so funny?" She had just slipped into her own bed closer to the door. Hair drowning the pillows on her bed with darkness.

"Just a thought, nothing really." He dismissed

"Please tell." Kagome was always so curious. Flipping to face her he smiled.

"Just remembering that night I slept over at your house and you told me about your ancestors."

He watched her frown in thought before blushing a little as the memory resurfaced, "We were about eight right? I can't believe you remember that!"

" 'Grandfather says the spirits of our ancestors still walk the grounds at nightfall.'" He mocked her using a high pitch childs' voice, " 'He says that they are angry with me because I broke one of the sacred bottles in the back room.'"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "_You _were the one who thought you heard a moaning sound down the hall."

Inuyasha laughed, "And _you_ begged me to save you as the moaning got closer."

Kagome joined in with a light giggle, "The door opened slowly and I screamed as a flash of white jumped on me."

"Only to discover that _Buyo_ had gotten into the flour!"

-

-

_"Oh Buyo It's only you!" She picked up the overgrown cat with a frown._

_Inuyasha rolled his eyes in frustration brushing a hand through the fur, "He's so white because he's covered in flour."_

_Kagome set the feline down slowly a light blush creeping on her cheeks, "Inny?"_

_"Yeah?" He responded half preoccupied at the sight of Buyo cleaning his coat on **his** sleeping bag._

_"If it had been a spirit would you have still…"_

_"Of course Kaggy."_

_"Thank you…"_

-

-

It seemed both of them had remembered the last part of that night at the same time. The laughter fell uneasily. Kagome shifted on her bed, watching the young man start to mess with the lamp on the desk between them. The thing hadn't been working since it arrived.

"Inuyasha?"

He didn't reply back causing the young woman to hesitate.

She couldn't back down now. She knew she couldn't. This was probably the only chance they would get to bring back at least _some_ of what they had before in the past.

Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes. Why did she care so much? When he had hurt her so badly? But she knew the answer.

"What went wrong between us?" It was a whisper when she said it, nothing higher or louder.

Inuyasha stopped fiddling with the lamp. His eyes hardened to something unreadable before speaking in a harsh growl, "You know what happened."

She bit her lip. She did know, but she _didn't_ know; it didn't make any sense to her now that she thought back without so much hatred.

-

-

-

Her and Inuyasha had started dating, and though Kaede, Kagome's friends, and Inuyasha's friends approved. Both of their families did not.

_"Kagome **what** are you** doing**?" Her grandfather threw his hands up in frustration one night after Inuyasha had dropped her off after going to the movies, "you must stop this now! I held my tongue when you two were friends, but I cannot keep my silence any longer! This has gone too far!"_

_"Momma?" Her grandfather could be a bit eccentric, but her mother had a level head. She watched the older woman give her a look both sad and stern, "Kagome…Inuyasha isn't…he's isn't worthy of you darling. I have to agree with father."_

_"But momma he is!" Kagome begged almost close to tears._

_"He doesn't know the first thing about running a shrine!"_

_"I'll teach him Momma, grandfather, just please don't forbid me from seeing him!"_

Kagome had long since came from a line of monks and mikos. She, being the only child, was required to take over as the shrine miko for her mother as soon as she was wed off.

Seeing that her children would have to run the shrine after her, her husband would also have to know the ways of a shrine keeper.

Kagome tried to teach Inuyasha everything he needed to know to run a shrine, but unfortunately for her, he had absolutely no interest in running a cruddy old half broke down building, supposedly occupied with souls of the dead.

"_If you want to be bound down by this piece of junk go ahead." He yawned one day while resting on a low branch within the Tree of Ages. The first time he saw that tree he had fallen in love with it. Kagome soon discovered that if she wanted to find him, the first place to search was within the old barks contents._

_"Why do you have to be so selfish!" She vented before looking into the tree, "Don't you care about being with me?"_

After that incident it was the one with his family. When Inuyasha's father died and his mother got sick. Shesshomaru, Inuyasha's despised half brother, arrived to take him in.

They had always battled for their father's attention, especially after the man divorced Inuyasha's mother to go back to Shesshomaru's mother.

Mr.Taisho had been clever in his will when he had written that it was Shesshomaru's duty as the man's eldest son to school Inuyasha in the ways of the business world.

The young boy left one summer and returned two years later a young man after Izyoi finally managed to win her custody battle. Kagome slowly realized hewas not the best friend who promised to always be there.

They truly had outgrown each other.

_"You cannot dwell on pawns of the past little brother." Shesshomaru lifted his hand to stop the waiter in mid pour._

_"She's **not** a pawn of the past." Inuyasha growled, but then got quiet, "She's my best friend."_

_"Well whatever she is, she is holding you down." The man turned to face his half brother, "She doesn't know the first thing about business. And descendents of Miko's are always trouble."_

_Inuyasha frowned. He wanted to snarl but his eldest had no tolerance at all for his habits. He would make sure Inuyasha remembered to **only** frown._

_"Miko's are one ofthe same tide as those who wish to preserve. Preservation stops expansion,no expansionstops business." He lifted his tea while overlooking the vast amount of land owned by him and him only. It used to be his fathers also, but after the man had past the land fell under his care._

_"She isn't that bad…I'll just teach her the ropes in business." He also overlooked the property, but not with similar thoughts, 'he lived here in a mansion…while mother and I lived in a one room shack on the other side of town._

Just as Kagome did, Inuyasha tried to teach her the ways of business, but not only did she have no interest she also couldn't grasp the complicated game most played.

_"Please, no more…" She slumped in her chair. The numbers were dancing in her head, most laughing at her while others chanted some weird incantation of confusion._

_She jumped when he slammed down a pencil. The desk shook violently after the impact, "Why aren't you trying!"_

_"I** am** trying, unlike some people I can't just see a problem that fills up half the page, and automatically know the answer!"_

_"Sheeshomaru's right…maybe you **are** holding me down…" He had said it without realizing._

_He didn't even get a chance to look up before she had stood up and stormed out of the door, slamming itin her wake._

-

-

The candle was starting to die against the sad silence. Outside the winds had long since quieted to allow the trees a rest.

"It ended on a moonless night." She broke the silence sadly, eyes watching the light melt away wax, "You said it might be best…because I was only a burden."

"And you said I was too impure to ever be worthy of you." Inuyasha whispered back while watching the wall.

"Do you think…we could…"

"I doubt it." She started to frown, Inuyasha spoke up, "But it's not impossible."

"Right then…" The light died into a spark. Leaning forward she blew the rest of the light away. Gathering her covers and bear prepared to lay down to sleep.

As with every night, she felt the familiar itching crawl throughout her body. She sighed.

"Inuyasha?"

She heard a shuffle and questioning moan.

"I'll be waking up at night, during odd hours to put on some crème. These darn covers or something must give me an allergic reaction. So itchy!"

She heard another shuffle and then everything fell quiet. She waited, something told her there was something he wanted to add. In a quiet voice he called her name.

"Yes?"

"It's not the covers…" She could tell he was choking in a snort though he seemed serious, finally after what felt eternity he said it, "I recommend throwing out the bear…its filled with itching powder…"

* * *

I'll let your imaginations run wild with what she does! 

So sorry about the long wait! We went to visit the colleges and I'm going to Virginia State University in the fall! The campus is beautiful! Soooo green! And everyones so nice! A big change from California - Also my creative writing teacher decided to be a nightmare and for the final profoilo andrequired that we read and do a summary on Ten stories that are not ones we read in class! Along with two short stories and ten journal entries! >-> meanie...-hisses- Lucky for mwah I only have one class with him left and then I'm through! Yay! Please Review peoples I added the last bit so everyone would cheer up. That is their past, and yes to the Shesshomaru fans I decided to heed you and found a way to put him in the story. I'll see if I can put him in other places, but this is my way of thanking you all for not flamming me over the long wait. Really appreciate!

Z


	10. Chapter 10: Thank You

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

Chapter 9: Thank You

-

-

-

Glows from a red and orange ball in the sky broke through the confinements of clouds. It shined through the dense leaves of the mountain ever greens to wake the ground, and through the clear windows of silent homes to wake occupants.

One home in particular greeted its favor with a groan.

"Five more minutes sun…"Ayame moaned as she flipped over on her bed so the light wasn't in her eyes.

"Sorry love, the sun doesn't have ears." She felt the side of her bed sink under new weight. Turning back around Ayame found the blinds had been drawn to block the light and Kouga was watching her with a smile, in his hands was a cup of coffee.

"Morning Kouga…" She sat up and gratefully retrieved the cup of coffee.

"Breakfast is on the table for you, but a tub of hot water is waiting in the bathroom, suggest you get in before it gets cold." He replied while walking to the door.

"Souten and Shiori?" She questioned then took a sip.

Who knew he could make coffee this delicious? It was better than Starbucks! Ayame moaned in delight. Who said being addicted to something was bad?

"All of the kids are in the bus. You need a day off, so they are going to help the team with practice."

"Are you sure?" What she really wanted to ask was if she was dreaming or not. Kouga nodded and waved his hand in dismissal.

"It'll be fine, just relax today. I heard Kagome and Sango are free today too so maybe you three can go somewhere."

-

"And there was absolutely no catch!" Kagome leaned across the table in shock as Ayame told her friends about what Kouga had done.

"No catch at all. And not only did I go downstairs to a breakfast better than any five star restaurant, but he left a hundred on the table so I could shop!" She grinned when Kagomes jaw dropped.

"Why so shocked Kagome?" Sango was picking through a small salad, "When the monk isn't being a pervert, he does the same things. Doesn't Inuyasha at least make coffee for you? Or take Souta and Shippo so you can have a break?"

Kagome stared down at the small tea stirring it slowly. Swirls of brown circled the cup as she sighed, "Not at all…"

-

-

"Miroku, dinner!" Sango set down a plate of food generously covered with home made ravioli. At the table already Kohaku and Rin happily ate and talked only glancing up when their father walked in preoccupied with a folder.

"I hope that's not what I think it is." Sango growled, her hand already armed with a pot she had been cleaning.

"It's not something you like, but not the one you were thinking of." Miroku grinned when she gave him a curious look, looking back into the folder he sighed, "B-i-l-l's"

"Oh." Finishing with the pot, she sat down across the way in front of her own food, "what's the matter?"

"Nothing," though he said it, his tone wasn't in the least convincing.

Sango set down her fork in preparation to wait out the quiet man. She was only a little surprised when he broke down so quickly. He had learned in the beginning when his wife set herself on knowing something there was no way to detour her from getting what she wanted.

"There is a game going on with our favorite teams against each other. Though the tickets are sold out, Kouga managed to get us some, but he says we need to put down fifty so the guy won't give them to someone else. Just trying to see when our bills are due…"

Sango knew that he knew they were due that week, which meant he wouldn't have the money to get the tickets. She smiled when she realized he hadn't uttered a word about not paying the bills.

"I've got some money left over, I'll pay the bills."

Miroku looked up from the folder in shock, "What?"

"Don't worry about it. Just go enjoy the game." Finishing her plate she also grabbed Rin and Kohaku's empty dishes and went to the sink, "You guys will be hungry and thirsty. Don't let me forget to pack you some dinner."

-

"You didn't even hint towards it?" Inuyasha frowned when Miroku handed him one of the three dinner boxes compliments of Sango.

"No, she thought of it herself." The monk grinned when he saw in his box was a container of homemade ice cream.

"I don't know why your so surprised Inuyasha." Kouga tried the rice, "Ayame does the same thing, but I must say her cooking is much better."

Kouga grinned when Miroku took a swing for his head. As the two battled over whose wife was better at what Inuyasha sat back lost in thoughts.

"Kagome doesn't do this…"

-

-

-

"Inuyasha food!" She set down the well prepared meal of shrimp pasta stopping Shippo and Souta when they ran to the living room.

"I hope you don't expect to eat with these filthy hands!" She numbed herself to their moaning while releasing them to clean themselves up. Inuyasha walked in with a smile and greeting staring at the meal with a grin.

"So what are we going to do today Inuyasha?" Kagome sat down, taking a leer at the boys hands as they ran back into the living room and dove into their plates.

The young man shrugged half heartedly while staring at his plate, "How about the park?"

It was a Sunday which meant they were on their own. It had become an unspoken agreement to make Sunday and Saturday the 'family day' in which they all went out together.

"Park?" They had not done that one for awhile, "Isn't there a circus or something today? At the park? Sure."

The couple settled down into a comfortable silence. After having to tolerate one another for more than three weeks, and confronting the issues that brought them to a cold relationship, the hatred had withered away to an almost nonexistent scar.

Actually, though they didn't do anything for each other, they began to like the company again.

"Hey Mom! Dad!" Souta jumped up looking at them both before continuing, "Only one more week until your project is done!"

"One week…" It was strange that it didn't feel like even yesterday had passed as twenty for hours. With them being so content, the time slipped out of their grasp. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome to see her nodding, but was it just him or did she seem sad?

-

-

Lions and tigers and bears! Clowns, musicians, and jugglers with acrobats the park was crowded with people laughing and talking.

Kagome held Soutas' hand tightly while following her husband directly at his heel.

'I'm amazed people can find each other here…' She thought finding a young boy who, for a second, was disengaged from his temporary mother by a running girl.

The teenage girl gripped the child's hand tighter and grasped Inuyasha's; no way were they going to be disconnected from each other.

Inuyasha jumped at the feel of a frail warm hand taking his. Turning around in surprise he quickly continued forward trying to ignore her and act unaffected. Holding his shirt was young Shippo.

"We should get seats first." He murmured to himself. Almost instinctively his free hand went to Shippos' back encouraging the boy to keep up beside him.

"Could you slow down..." The boy was half walking, half running to meet the long strides of his father.

A woman, perhaps one of the teachers volunteering, accidentally ran into the red head. With a yelp he tripped, but never touched the ground.

"This won't work." Levering Shippo to his knees with the hand gripping his blue shirt, Inuyasha bent down and picked him up under the arm putting him on his shoulders while walking, "You fall off your on your own kid."

Shippo nodded with a grin, small legs tightened around his neck while hands placed themselves on his head.

"Such a caring father, and so alert."

He stopped abruptly. Kagome crashed into his back, moaning about the hold up.

"Kaede?" She was smiling with a plate in her hands, "Well hello Kagome, nice to see you here also with your family."

Kagome found herself smiling before she could really help it, "So what are you doing here Kaede?"

"Same are ye I suppose." She nodded to herself watching the many students of hers walking around aimlessly, "Though I was here with a friend, I've seemed to have lost her…"

"Well wandering around here by yourself your bound to get killed." Both the women and children shot surprised glances at Inuyasha as he nonchantly invited the teacher to join them, "Just don't slow us down."

"So kind of you Inuyasha," She managed to say while following the band, with a smile she noted them all holding hands to stay together, "As it should be."

-

-

The tent was huge. Everyone decided that unanimously while walking inside by huddling closer together. Even young Shippo on Inuyasha gripped tighter so he wouldn't fall.

Finding a seat though was surprising easy. Especially with the schools toughest kid and the most known teacher in your group visible to everyone. Yes, they were able to score the best seats in the entire tent.

"This is great!" Shippo was carefully set down to join Souta who was beside Inuyasha on the young mans' other side was his wife and Kaede.

"So how have things been going?" The old woman started casually, she half expected a death look that told her she was only acting happy around the kids, but Kagome turned around with a gentle smile nodding her head, "Pretty good actually."

"No problems?" She stressed only a bit but the young woman was already shaking her head, "Well just this one thing, but overall no."

The old woman just nodded to herself. 'Now was the perfect time…'she sighed sadly shaking her head before nodding again, "What a foolish woman I am indeed. I am sorry Kagome, I thought this would work out but perhaps it was just my stubbornness. My pairing you was not fair, that is why I decided to make up for myself."

-

-

'Make up for yourself?' Inuyasha peered over curiously to where the two were conversating just in time to see the teacher pull out a small envelope.

"What is this?" Kagome was taking the material and slowly opening to reveal a white piece of paper.

Her hands were steady opening it, but as she gazed at the contents they started to shake until she dropped the paper an envelope to settle for shock, "What is that?"

Bending down he took the paper to also look at it, what he saw made him want to rip it to pieaces an yet also stare like a clueless child, "We will be more than delighted to accept Ms. Higurashi Kagome into our Agricultural program with a full scholarship…" He couldn't read anymore he was just too shocked.

She was really going away…

"Right after this project I advise you start packing." Kaede smiled, "Because though classes start in another two weeks after graduation, You will be moving in a week earlier to acquaint yourself the city."

"Kaede…" She was almost in tears, but yet still so shocked, as the lights dimmed and the curtains rose she whispered in the now silent tent, "Thank you…"

* * *

You can all flame me I'm so sorry! I would've updated to tell you that I hadn't given up on the story, but then I didn't want to get everyones hopes up on a new chapter only to discover it wouldn't be up for another month. I got a job! Yay me! Though the jobs been working me like a dog so I havn't had time to write -cries-

But I am writing now and I have not given up on this story. In fact I hope to have two chapters up today! This one would've been even longer, but this felt appropriate to leave off at. Sorry for the sort of cliffy. XD couldn't be helped.

Anyways I thinks its three chapters left until the end. Will this be anguish or not? That is the question... Thanks for the reviews so much! And thanks for being such loyal readers you don't know how much it means to me really! Without further ado. I'm writing the new chapter!

Z


	11. Chapter 11: A Car Seat

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

* * *

Chapter 11: A Car Seat

"I'm back!" the wheels to her baggage rolled listlessly as the girl inhaled the familiar wonderful scent of the shrine incenses_ supposedly_ used to keep evil spirits away… Oh well demon or not the scent of cinnamon and dry leaves was something to cherish.

"Kagome?" an older lady rounded the corner hands showing evidence of cleaning dishes with the soap suds dripping lightly, "Oh honey!" cold hands embraced a laughing girl before pulling her away for examination and questioning.

"I thought you would be home later tonight, did someone give you a ride home?"

A light smile fell over the young woman's face, with an angelic grin, she shook her head.

"Not exactly, I kinda gave myself a ride home…"

Now her mother appeared completely lost widening the grin on the younger woman. From her pocket she withdrew a chain with a gold key for her mother to see.

An almost impossible second of tension passed as the older Higuarashi filed through her emotions for the perfect response to this news, "So, the school gave you a car?"

Instantaneously both woman broke into a wide smile "Isn't this great? Plus they let me keep everything else from the mountain."

"Kagome? Is that you?" He walked in backed hunched forward with time, a stern look of determination in his eyes while turning the corner to find the source of all his daughter excitement.

"I just got back." She replied putting away her keys and gathering her bags. She wouldn't need to worry about the fawning over from him since he hardly knew when she was gone and back, "I'm going to my room now." The young woman hugged her mother before turning towards the comfort of her room.

-

-

"_You **need** to convince her to stay!" _

_The men were in Inuyasha's car driving to a burger place before returning to pick up the kids from Inuyasha's house._

"_I don't like her remember?" He snapped but then added quietly, "I'm glad she's going, I've been waiting for her to leave." _

"_Don't kid yourself." Kouga rolled his eyes earning a mean glare from dog boy in the rearview mirror, "You and Kagome have gotten back together no matter how much you try to deny it." _

"_I agree with Kouga." Now Miroku was getting the same glares, "Though you act as if you'll be happy when she leaves. I don't doubt you will in fact be quite solemn." _

"_Shows how much you know." Inuyasha snorted, "When she leaves I'll finally be able to put this hellish past behind me."_

"_Do you really want to? Are you **ready** to?" Miroku pressed amazed when the young man didn't answer right away._

_Instead Inuyasha hesitated, slowly he responded with, "This is what I've been waiting for…" _

_-_

Nothing had seemed to change since his departure not that he expected it to.

Yelling would be no use he knew, what would it accomplish here besides waking up the neighbors and their pets.

Walking down a small hall he scooped up bottles and stray papers until a door blocked his path. Hands shook slightly before bracing themselves against a cold handle turning slowly.

"Mother?" the room was silent other than the low whispers of two people on the television screen chatting away about something of almost no value. A lone woman sat before the screen eyes closed while puffs of air escaped from between her lips.

Inuyasha smiled as he grew closer moving to stir the sleeping woman without scaring her from her seat, "Mother? Wake up, it's me."

To the world a gift of hazel and ebony orbs were graced. She closed her eyes for a blink before revealing them again in focus. Seeing Inuyasha she reached her arms to hug him, "My boy…your back home. How was your project?"

"It was okay…how have you been feeling? Have you been remembering to take your medication?"

She smiled playfully nodding to her son who sighed in relief. Izayoi was a wonderful caring mother whom anyone would call perfect as a human being, but being perfect obviously came with it's own punishments.

A harsh cough escaped her mouth, the woman's son set a hand to her back wincing inwardly as he saw drops of blood on the hand holding her mouth. The attack ceased soon after leaving her to inhale deep while he watch on helpless.

"I think I need to rest up some darling…" Inuyasha turned away with a reluctant nod helping her gently by the hand until she reached her bed where he allowed her to settle in.

"I'm glad you had a fun trip Inuyasha…" Izayoi ran a cold hand across his cheek which he embraced as she fell into a light slumber.

-

-

"_You can't leave! What about Inuyasha!" Ayame shrieked. _

_The kids were in another room with the television and a board game._

_Maybe it was the stone cold looks of annoyance and the snarls they all received when they opened the door to check on the kids, or maybe it was the girls sharpening their nails suddenly with the walls like vampires that made the mothers realize their company was not only not needed but not desired in the least. _

"_Inuyasha wants me to leave remember?" Kagome stared down at her tea with a sigh, "Our relationship ended, it's a miracle we were able to **live** with each other for so long…" _

"_You liked it though…didn't you?" Sango watched her friend frown even deeper. Kagome tried to rid herself of the light blush of amusement of having to share the same room with him._

_They always stayed in their own beds and heaven forbid if he tried to flirt or anything, but still she enjoyed the knowledge that he was there for she was afraid of the dark whether able to admit or not. 'his breathing' She was growing fond of listening to him as he slept. He was so quiet and tranquil…She roughly shook herself before slamming her hands on the table hopelessly._

'_I **can't** do this again! Not again! **No no no no**!' She sat up with a set face, "This is **my** time! And I'll be damned if I'm gonna ruin this. It's an opportunity of a lifetime! What do I have to lose accepting it!"_

_Exchanging glanced between each other Ayame and Sango thought of the same person simultaneously, 'Inuyasha…' _

"Inuyasha" He was on her mind again, and she couldn't do anything about it. What could she do? Besides continue to think as she put away her belongings. Calling him was out of the question though she had his number, it wouldn't be like he would be happy to hear her voice on the other end.

She still had some things in the car she needed to get grabbing her keys she set off downstairs out the house with a smile towards the minivan. She had gotten the vehicle while her ex had been given the sports car. Opening the back she sighed at a giant box of extra food, but behind it lay something she didn't recall sticking in the back.

"A car seat…" She remembered the little car seat she bought for Shippo. Pulling it out she stared with lonely eyes. Her boys…what were they doing now she wondered…

"_So this is our last dinner together?" Shippo sighed picking through the delicious food. He was starving and yet the thought of leaving his temporary mother and father sucked the appetite right away. _

"_Can't we stay?" Souta tried slowly, looking down when Inuyasha shook his head._

"_Come on, you two must be homesick a little." Inuyasha tried, "Don't you miss your parents?" _

"_You act like our parents more than they do…" Shippo's answer was almost a whisper. He set down his fork walking towards Inuyasha. He didn't typically act like such a child, but hands rose pleading until the young adult picked him up settling him into a sit on his lap._

"_I'm going to miss you two…" Kagome almost felt as if they were really her children. Her sons that were being taken away for a week to be used for two teenagers marriage project, "Be safe okay?" _

_Both nodded continuing to eat, or **try** to eat, their dinners. That was until Souta jumped out of his seat and ran into his room. _

_Silence fell as Inuyasha and Kagome listened to the sounds of draws being opened and a short silence followed by footsteps running back into the dinning room._

"_Here!" He handed a pieace of paper to Kagome, atop was three sets of numbers._

"_Our phone number and address and an emergency number in case you absolutely want to talk to us." He locked eyes with his mother seriously as she took the paper in fond hands, "You **will** call…won't you?"_

"_I promise." She whispered. She could feel herself ready to cry, but held it all in to eat, 'I** can't** cry,' She thought firmly, 'I **won't** cry'_

_With those thoughts dinner was quickly finished and ended silently. A silence that they wished to break but keep at the same time. A silence they cherished and regretted as they fell asleep in their own beds._

_-_

_At mornings first light she was up running towards her clothes drawer with little thought besides to put something on._

"_Hurry hurry!" She mumbled ignoring the annoyed moans of her roommate as he awoke to the sounds._

_Clothes were thrown everywhere until she had one an outfit decent enough for children. _

_With shirt, and pants she was running out of her room and down the hall throwing open the boy's room to see…_

_Nothing. No one was there, and that included her children for the month._

"_They're gone." The ground rose as she sunk to her knees shocked that she had missed them. Her heart felt as if it had shattered, never to be found again._

"_Kagome?" She was numb down past her soul, she couldn't even look up at Inuyasha. _

"_They aren't here. Souta and Shippo…they really took them…" Who knew the pain would hurt this much? They weren't even her biological children, not even slightly related and yet she felt as if she had been raising them since they were born over the one month she had really taken them. _

That was there last time together…The young woman pulled out the car seat silently guilt pouring through her in tital waves. If she had woken up earlier…would she have still missed them? Should she have stayed up all night with the boys?

She couldn't bear to remove the single piece of furniture that reminded her of one of her son's for the month. Carefully buckling the purchase in the seat she left it while moving for the food.

-

-

He had everything in a place within the house after an hour. Grabbing the car keys to his little car he was walking towards the door headed for Kouga's house to kick back with his two best friends.

He couldn't get his mind off of Kagome though he fought to preoccupy himself.

As he sunk into the comfortable seats and turned on the car the first task he set himself to was blasting the music least anymore agonizing thoughts try to torture him.

Music played so loud the car was literally moving on sound alone. He grinned turning around to back out of the drive.

A small car seat was distracting him. The car seat Kagome had bought for Shippo when he rode in Inuyasha's car. Inuyasha couldn't believe the way his life had changed since meeting those two brats. He had planned to take it out when he got home…

_She had been inhaling the wonderful scent of five hours worth of labor, proud that the effort had been rewarded with positive results. _

"_Dinner is in fifteen minutes!" She yelled to the boys while clearing the distance towards the kitchen. _

"_Ramen in cabbage with Miso soup and teriyaki chicken." She sung happily opening the oven. She really had out done herself, but she had a right to._

"_Our last full day…" Shippo and Souta would be gone in the morning, and then at around six at night the buses would load and take them down the mountain towards home… _

_Inuyasha stopped to take a look around the house,** his** house. The home he had taken care of since this entire project began._

_With a small smile filled with sadness he shook his head, 'really gonna miss this place,' _

"_Hey Kagome." Inuyasha revealed himself to the young woman with a table chart in hand. Of course he had done the graph being he was more into business and math. All he needed was her signature and they would turn it in together._

"_This looks pretty nice Inuyasha," She mused looking at the graph as it rose. He smiled proudly, "Its our income verses our household needs." _

_He proceeded to show her the positives and negatives of the many items they bought like the cars being a positive seeing that his sports car took up less gas than the minivan while the extra lighting in Shippo and Souta's room was negative because it would've cost less to just leave the hall light on." _

_Kagome nodded along but the young man had opposing opinions on whether or not she actually understood what he was talking about, that was until she surprised him by actually pointing to another price and cautiously confirming that it was a positive buy._

"_Exactly right," He found himself staring down at her with an admiring grin. Gazing deeper into her eyes as she did his._

'_What am I doing?' Both looked away at the same time confusion clearly written on their faces. Did they just...but neither wanted to finish the thought._

_-_

_The dinner was eaten and both boys were dressed for bed. After Kagome said her goodbyes he waited patiently, not proceeding in until he heard her shut the door to their room for her shower._

"_Shippo? Souta?" Inuyasha peeked a cautious look into their room making sure they weren't fast asleep._

"_Dad!" Souta launched himself from the bed to be caught easily by Inuyasha, "Shippo didn't think you would say goodbye, but I did!" _

_He couldn't help but break into a cocky grin at the little boy trying to hide a dirty look at his arrival, "You know I couldn't resist proving Shippo wrong." _

_Laugher broke out as the little boy replied by rolling his green eyes in playful anger. While Inuyasha moved Souta and himself towards the vacant bed everyone fell silent._

"_Will we ever see you and Kagome again?" Shippo whispered _

_The question shocked Inuyasha, but not because it was asked more than that Shippo called Kagome by her name. He hadn't done that before, or at least not since the project first began…_

"_Of course you'll see your **mother** and me again." The answer was slow, but deliberate as he said 'mother' he knew he had made the right choice of title when both of the children beamed happily at their pretend father. _

_Sharing the smiles Inuyasha stood to leave them with a pat on each of their heads, "Goodnight you two; Shippo and Souta." _

"_Goodnight and…" _

"_We love you…" _

_He stopped before shutting the door turning to his sons and going back to their beds. He could tell they were unsure about his next actions as he leaned into Shippo. _

_The older boy squirmed shutting eyes to prepare for the smack over the head, but to his shock his father only left a light kiss on his forehead the proceeded to do the same for Souta. As he stood and returned to the door with two shocked boys in his wake he whispered back four simple words, "I love you too," _

-

Shaking his head Inuyasha continued to back the car out of the drive leaving the car seat to sit where he had originally put it.

* * *

- Aloha! Thanks for the time you gave me off of the story! I hope this was just long enough to make up for it! I got me drivers lisense and the ceremony for graduation is in another week! I can't wait! I'm already working on the next chapter but Im taking summer classes at a community college so my time has been strained. I stayed up till 3 in the morning to finish this - It probably wasn't what you expected but this felt appropriate on how to end their time on the mountain.

I'm really honored to have such loyal readers! So much so that I'll take any opinions on what _you_ want for this next chapter.

Who do you want to see show up? or any cute plots or clarity on someone, orsuch just send it in the review and I'll do my best to please! If you have any other requests I'll try to oblige as my Thanks. Without further ado! I'm writing! P Peace out!

Z


	12. I'm Not Dead! Authors Update

I'm Not Dead!

Authors Update

I am extreamely sorry to all of my readers for the long long wait! Lately I've been going through my own personal hell so finding the inspiration to finish this story has been tough. When I am in a bad mood I can still write but then the story will immediately laspe into an anguish and I'm pretty sure that you all don't want this story to end in the most tragic way possible.

I have some two weeks before I start college and I hope to finish this story beforehand since I have been trying to rewrite, "On All Fours" and create "Mother" which for all of you drama lovers I know you'll like. Comedic Romance lovers will hopefully appreciate "On All Fours"

On top of that I am working on a story requested by a friend titled "Remember Me This Way". I would have been put it up since it has been progressing just dandy (This story is anguish so my mood is just making the story turn out better) The problem is that I am using a character she created and another character I created. If anyone shows some interest in it I may still put these up, but I really don't want people stealing these characters; they are almost apart of us and it would disappoint both my friend and me to see someone else using them without our permission.

Aside from that. I am working on the story right now, just I really want it to be good and not rushed so I havn't put it up. You all deserve much more than a rushed chapter for waiting so paitently. So I'll be sure to make this one long and worthwhile. It's the second to last but I may make an epilouge that's in the air.

That's all for the updates on me! My apologizes for not updating fast lately you can all flame me and throw various objects I really do deserve it! Please forgive!

Z


	13. Chapter 12: Solutions and Ideas

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

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Chapter 12: A Solution and Idea

-

-

-

"Sango! Ayame!" The young woman ran through the halls waving her hands to catch the attention of her two best friends. As they turned around and smiled she lost view of them and smacked into something hard falling directly on her butt with a wince of pain.

"What's the big idea?" Kagome opened her eyes to find herself staring directly into a pair of golden orbs watching her with some worry, "Oh Inuyasha!"

"Sorry about that." He muttered, a hand was extended and she gratefully took it straightening out her skirt as he picked up her backpack.

"Thank you." She said back taking the heavy bag awkwardly. He gave it to her with little objection but remained where he stood fidgeting.

A few students turned to watch the couple deciding not to stretch their luck by hanging around to listen. Kagome looked up and tried to smile.

"Are you ready for the presentation at the end of the week?" She tried.

Inuyasha shrugged, "Doesn't bother me too much. I think we should go over our presentation one more time just to make sure."  
"How about later tonight after school? Momma and Grandpa are out of town for the next three days."

"Sure. I guess so." He tried to sound bored, but past his tough act he was as nervous as if he were going to the dentist to get some teeth pulled.

"Great! Then I'll see you later tonight!" Kagome smiled. The two waved goodbye and Kagome found herself being the victim of two cat grins coming from her friends.

"What?" Her eyes were completely innocent to their scrutiny. Shaking her head Ayame threw her arm around Kagomes neck laughing, "I was hoping you two would get back together again!"

Kagome untied herself and frowned, "We aren't back together again. Just discussing the projects presentation."

Ayame and Sango just nodded along. Kagome found herself remembering those times at night when she would tell her mother she had seen a demon or that unicorns did exist and the woman would agree just to silence the argument.

"How's your presentation going?" The young woman tried to change the subject as they walked towards the cafeteria.

Sango frowned and shook her head, "The project is going fine, but…"

"But…what?"

The senor shot a glance around the large room and shook her head. Both of her friends knew what she had said without words. Silently they all grabbed their lunches and went in search of a quiet secluded area with no one around. The place they found was a small field with a few girls playing soccer.

-

-

"So what's up Sango?" Ayame tried again after they had settled down and taken a bite out of their lunches. Sango set down her sandwich and shook her head.

"You're both going to think I'm crazy for this, but…I think I developed feelings for the Monk." Sango glanced over to see her friends wide eyed but grinning like there was no tomorrow, "Continue…"

"Miroku asked me if I would seriously consider going out with him, and I accepted." She was blushing into a permanent shade of apple red while her friends squealed like fan girls at a concert.

"I can't believe one of us might consider giving one of those three a chance!" Kagome stated, just as she did she noticed Ayame fiddle with her jell-o, curious she bent low to meet the girls eyes, "Or is it more than one of us…?"

Ayame was turning the poor jell-o into a smoothie turning it around so much. Avoiding her friends gazes she took a deep breath, "You guys already know that Kouga and I are pretty close…well the project only made us closer…Lately Kouga and I have been considering getting an apartment together after High school…."

More squeals and all three girls were giggling. After a comfortable silence Ayame dared to pop the conversation with Kagome that had everyone on needles since they had driven down the mountain, "So…is there a possibility that you might have developed some feelings for a certain silver haired boy?"

Kagome didn't answer the question right away. Her smile disappeared almost instantly as she looked at the ground watching a beetle bend the grass and make a trail, "I think we got back some of our friendship, but it will never go beyond that. I'm going to college remember guys? And I don't know what he plans to do. Besides…it's easier to destroy something, not build. Our relationship is too far gone…"

Sango and Ayame glanced at one another in sadness then watched as Kagome stood up telling them she was going to get ahead start on her homework. As she was out of hearing range Sango spoke up with a whisper, "They can't end it like this…they just can't."

Ayame nodded, "You're right, they're meant to be together…but there is no way those two would regain what they lost on their own."

Even as the words were leaving her mouth the idea was forming. Sango formed the same idea at the same time smiling wickedly to her friend, "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"Let's go find Kaede." Ayame stood, "She'll be able to help."

-

-

-

Kagome walked into her home and tossed her backpack into a lone corner while yelling over her shoulder to Inuyasha, "I'm going to make us something to eat, anything in particular that you would like?"

The young man shrugged his shoulder sitting down at the table, "Ramen, what else?"

"You never change." Kagome muttered just loudly enough for him to hear. Even as children he always requested ramen when given the option.

Inuyasha just let out a 'feh' while watching her pull out two packets and a pot. His voice caught for a second before asking the question on his mind. He waited a moment longer making sure that she didn't have anything breakable in her grasp before trying again.

"Have you…heard from Shippo or Souta?"

Just as he predicted the object she had been holding dropped to the floor and she froze. She had been like that every time she even thought she heard their names mentioned, according to Sango and Ayame she was even worse when she saw two boys playing together.

Bending down to retrieve the bowls she had been holding. Kagome set them down quietly, "I…haven't been able to get ahold of them…" Her voice cracked at the last part. She missed them more than she could have ever imagined. Especially after learning their history from Lady Kaede.

Shippo and Souta were in the process of being removed from their home. Their mother claimed their home was no longer safe, courtesy of their father, and put them in a program that prohibited her from contacting them. Though both Inuyasha and Kagome had tried every loop hole and connection they had still they couldn't find out what had happened to either of them.

"They're okay you know." Inuyasha whispered to the girl, "Shippo and Souta are fine wherever they are." Kagome didn't seem to be listening to him as she removed the noodles from the heat and placed them into bowls.

"I just wish I could talk to them, and see them one more time before I leave…"

"I'll keep searching for them. When I find out what happened I'll contact you." Inuyasha could see that she was slightly surprised by his offer. She nodded in understanding before taking a seat across from him stirring her noodles.

"Two weeks and I'll be gone…I wish Sango would go with me…" Kagome mused at the table, "Or at least Ayame."

Inuyasha snorted but said not a word trying hard to engross himself in the task of eating the ramen his wife had made. 'Wife' Inuyasha nearly choked on his ramen in realization. They were still 'married' to one another since they hadn't received their certificate of divorce. Inuyasha couldn't figure out why the heck the old lady insisted on them getting one from the school office, but nevertheless they were still a couple until they signed for a separation.

"What are you doing after High school?"

The question brought Inuyasha out of his thoughts he shook his head before looking up, "Shesshomaru is giving me half of the business to run. He's expanding to the other side of the country. He wants me to maintain that side."

"I see…" So he was leaving too…, "When are you leaving?"

"Right after you do according to your paper."

"How long did you know?" She didn't know why, but she felt oddly hurt that she as hearing of these plans so late. He shook his head and grimaced.

"Actually I found out yesterday…" He hated it when Sheeshomaru expected him to drop everything for his whim one short notice. He would've given his beloved brother some choice words if he wasn't the one supporting him…

Kagome only nodded. She knew how Inuyasha felt about his brother. They hated each others guts really, it was only their father who kept them from destroying the other, even in his grave.

"So where is this business located?"

"Don't know yet. Shesshomaru hasn't decided in which city he wants the main office built where I'll be staying. I don't care where he puts it."

Kagome nodded picking up her and Inuyashas empty bowls. She thought through the chances of her and him ending up in the same city. Where she was going was a major city, not small by any means which, she thought, would be an ideal place to set up a main office. But still…'there are plenty of even bigger cities'… another thought strayed to why she was even thinking of the possibilities in the first place. Wasn't she trying to get away from him?

-

-

"_So…is there a possibility that you might have developed some feelings for a certain silver haired boy?"_

_Kagome didn't answer the question right away. Her smile disappeared almost instantly as she looked at the ground watching a beetle bend the grass and make a trail, "I think we got back some of our friendship, but it will never go beyond that. I'm going to college remember guys? And I don't know what he plans to do. Besides…it's easier to destroy something, not build. Our relationship is too far gone…"_

_-_

_-_

"It's easier to destroy something than build it back up." She repeated silently to herself. Running the water in the sink Kagome could hear Inuyasha as he gathered the papers for the final presentation upon the table. She sighed sadly.

They were just in two different worlds…He was a business man and she was as shrine miko, there was no way this could work out. How could two very different worlds come together harmoniously?

'This isn't a fairy tale. No happily ever after.' What was going to happen when she graduated? She was expected to return to the shrine and keep the grounds tended to, and Inuyasha had already made it clear years ago that he had no intention of staying at an ancient shrine the rest of his life.

'And what makes me think he feels this way about me anyways?' She wondered scolding her own heart, 'what we had was ruined. I'm surprised he can even tolerate being in the same room as me.'

"He hates me."

-

-

Inuyasha was filing through his papers but keeping an eye on Kagome while she washed the dishes. He was wondering close to the same as she was. Would she blow a vein if he made a request to Shesshomaru to have the main building built in the same city as her school was?

'Who are you kidding pal? She would kill herself!' His mind screamed and he knew it was probably right. Kagome had been waiting for the opportunity so that she could escape him, if he followed her all of her planning would more or less be in vain.

'what we had is lost. Though why can't I accept that?' It pained him to admit that they would never have what had been growing when they were younger. They were going in two different directions and nothing was going to change that.

'What could fill in the gap and enable us to be together again?' He wondered, almost saying the words aloud if he had not stopped himself, but the last of his thoughts fought through his barrier to surface.

"What would make her stop hating me?"

-

-

-

-

"I see…" The older woman set down the tea cup she had been drinking from her eyes remained closed to the two graduating woman across from her. Their eyes stared at her in anticipation to her answer.

"So…would you care to help us?" Sango tried after the silence felt like a never ending void. Ayame was nodding along beside her gripping the life out of her friends hand.

Kaede would not be rushed to her decision. She remained quiet engulfed in thoughts that Sango and Ayame could only guess at. Finally the teacher opened her eyes.

"You do realize that both Inuyasha and Kagome will not be happy with either of you? Especially after hearing about the plan you set them in?

Tension ran freely through the air as both girls thought about their best friends reaction. She would be really angry, if the plan failed she probably wouldn't speak to either girl for over a month. Against Inuyasha…well if the plan failed he would be after their lives and Sango and Ayame knew they would have to get into some protection program against him, not that it would even do any good considering his brother ran one of the most powerful businesses in Japan and Inuyasha was learning how to take it over.

Sango and Ayame inhaled deep and looked at each other searching for any hint of betrayal or cowardice that would prevent the other from following through with their idea.

After a minute Ayame broke the contact to look Kaede in the eyes, her expression was unyielding, "Both Kagome and Inuyasha will be furious if the plan backfires. I think this could on some level jeporadize our friendship."

"However," Sango broke in from where Ayame left off, "We would never forgive ourselves if we didn't at least try…"

Again Kaede closed her eyes in thought but for a much shorter amount of time. She was already nodding, "Very well…if you understand the consequences I shall contact her."

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Okay my computer is being a real jerk! -smashes computer in- but anyways as promised this chapter is typed and hopefully longer! In microsoft it is about five pages maybe more since I added some after the upload. I wonder who will guess Sango and Ayames plan? If you get it right I'll give you an Inuyasha plushie and cookie!

I tried to brighter up the story though it still came out a bit darker than I wanter it too. The next chapter will have some laugh in it and will be really really really long being the last chapter and all! It will almost be two chapters in one. And I am already working on it! This one I will force myself to finish within a weeks time. And I will force myself into a happier mood so it won't turn out sad. That's all for now! Toodles and Thank you!

Z


	14. Chapter 13: Jealousy and Realization

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are!! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

Chapter 13: Jealousy and Realization

-

-

-

Their last week of school…after this it would just be the graduation ceremony and their time at Takahashi High would be over. No more getting up at six and getting home at two. No more year long classes and yellow school buses. They were adults and would go and get jobs with different hours, or go to college where they would leave home to live in dorms with complete strangers. After this day everything would change.

Inuyasha walked down the halls head down in thought ignoring the students brushing past him. He was thinking of the recent news given to him by his older brother Shesshomaru regarding the move to another city.

"Postponed…" Inuyasha couldn't figure out this mystery, "Shesshomaru never postponed anything, especially not because the builders didn't have enough time allotted to them to finish the project."

That was a bunch of trash. Inuyasha knew his brother to, plenty of times, threaten the companies that he hired to build his offices. He could have a building up within a few months with all of the power he had.

"He's not telling me something…" That was the only thing he could think of. Something must have happened that he didn't want Inuyasha knowing about, or he didn't want him going someplace…

The young man shrugged his shoulders and blew out a breath of air. It wasn't like he cared anyways. If anything this relieved him since he hadn't been happy about the prospect of leaving his mother for a few months until he found an apartment that was good enough for her to live in.

"Not that where she is living right now is a walk in the park." He hated where his mother was forced to live. Quite frankly who in their right mind wouldn't? The water and the electricity came on when it felt like it and the place minus well have not had a roof or walls seeing as the wind blew in through all of the cracks and the water was only held at bay by the buckets Inuyasha lay around the house. The bed was horrible and the food in the refrigerator easily got spoiled, once again an electricity problem.

Yep, he hated where she was forced to live at the moment, and moving into a building it would've taken at least two weeks to find an apartment or house that was better for her to live.

"Hate to say that he did me a favor," thinking through what he had just dared to say he rolled his eyes, "never mind if it wasn't for his decision in the first place I wouldn't have had to worry about leaving her."

Inuyasha decided to block those thoughts finally arriving at his locker. Opening it the first thing he laid eyes on was the folders and the various posters made for the presentation at the end of the week; last class. His thoughts instantly traveled to another important woman in his life.

"Kagome," This would be the last day he had with her, afterwords she was going to that University for Tokyo or whatever on that full scholarship. She wouldn't be back for four years

"Hey dog boy!" A punch in the shoulder caught the thinking man by surprise. He grabbed the locker for support as his friend turned to gaze into his eyes.

"Kouga…" There was some realization in his voice while Inuyasha acknowledged the other man who shook his head.

"Meditating on deep thoughts I see, we've been yelling your name down the hall." Miroku said.

"He was probably trying to think of what to think about." A low growl greeted Kouga who just snickered.

"So Inuyasha, I presume you were thinking about going out with lady Kagome?"

Inuyasha held his tongue to both men. He was trapped either way. If he said 'no' they wouldn't believe him, if he said 'yes' they would chew him out for not confronting her. So when stuck change the subject.

"How's it going between you guys and Sango and Ayame?" Inuyasha tried.

"Not bad actually." Kouga shrugged. Miroku nodded with a sort of dreamed out expression, he had been like that ever since Sango had accepted his proposal to be his girlfriend.

"We didn't come to talk about our girlfriends though." Kouga leaned easily against the locker beside Inuyasha with a sly smile, "We just wanted to know if you had seen Kagome."

"Why?" His eyes had narrowed suspiciously to his two best friends. They were up to something, he just didn't know what yet.

"There's a new discovery, apparently Kagome's best friends are Sango and Ayame who happen to be our girlfriends." Miroku had shaken himself from his daze to jump into the conversation, he seemed a bit panicked. "Is it a crime to want to know where are girlfriends are?"

The young man being told of this information shook his head trying to piece together his friends reactions. They seemed nervous apparently wishing he would accept their answers and leave them be. They were both on defense against anything he may have thought of saying. Slacking his shoulders Inuyasha decided to allow them this relief and wait until a more opportune time, "Well if they were looking for Kagome, she usually hangs around her locker right?"

"Guess you're right." Kouga looked towards the end of the hall catching sight of his girlfriend with a grin, "It looks like they are headed there right now. Thanks Dog Boy!" He ran down the hall waving his hand to catch the young women's attention.

Miroku also ended up following since beside Ayame stood Sango with books in hand. Inuyasha watched as Miroku took her books carrying them for her. He again tried to place what Kouga and Miroku were trying to do but came up with nothing. He shoved the thought to the back of his mind pulling out the folders and books for his first class.

-

-

Sango, Ayame, Kouga, and Miroku walked down the hallways each lost in their own thoughts as they headed for the same destination. They were all in on the plan the girls had put together and now they needed to gather the last pieces before playing the game that could make or break a relationship in their best friends.

"Are we doing the right thing? Interfering with their love life?" Sango wondered aloud her hand took the arm of her boyfriend drawing herself closer.

"Those two would break it apart today and never see one another again if we didn't act." Miroku comforted her, he shook his head, "Although I must admit this plan is risky. Not to their lives, but to ours. If they discover how we stepped in…"

"They'll never know you two were involved." Ayame stated her eyes were glued on her destination. She had already made up her mind that day Kaede made the phone call, now it was for better or worse the plan would be completed, "Sango and I have already resolved to take all of the blame. Kagome and Inuyasha will never know that you played any part in helping us."

"What?!" Kouga stepped in front of the party his eyes blazing at the images in his mind. Allow the girls to take the blame? His best friend didn't care about the differences between harming a man, woman, or child if they hurt him or did something as drastic as they were doing he would have them trying to relocate to another country! "There is no way I'm going to allow that! If he finds out then all of us are going down together."

Ayame regarded Kouga with a steady gaze. He was stubborn as a mule when he put his mind to something, just like her. Their matches of wills was always hanging in the air. "Kouga. Sango and I made up this plan, not you or Miroku. We will take responsibility for our actions."

"And we will take responsibility for helping you."

"Helping you do what?"

Everyone whipped around to find themselves staring at a curious Kagome. Her backpack was swung easily on her shoulder while awaiting an answer from the group.

"Nothing important really." Sango chirped unfortunately it came out three pitches too high.

Kagome raised her eyebrows in question, but before she could comment the bell rung indicating they only had three minutes to get to class, "Class is going to start soon…"

"Yep we better get going!" Sango grabbed her boyfriend by the arm dragging him towards their first period class, "See you Kags!"

While Kagome was waving to the departing couple. Ayame and Kouga ran off in two different directions, by the time Kagome had turned around they were just turning the hall, "Must have had a far away class."

-

-

For Kagome the last week was going too slow for her taste and yet too fast at the same time. She sat in her seat trying to listen as her teacher talked about college and the changes they would experience, but slowly she found her gaze sweeping to the window where the students were let loose to do whatever they pleased. Among the class was a particular boy that hadn't left her mind since she had woken up that morning.

"This is our last week ever having to see each other Inuyasha…wonder how you feel about that…" The words were foreign to her own mouth. How did he feel? Ecstatic of course! Just like she should have felt too, but the more she thought about the University of Tokyo the more she thought about the distance it put between her and him and instead of smiling about it, she was sighing.

'Isn't this what I've been waiting for?' she thought again looking at the teacher. He was writing down something on the board, talking about meeting different people from various walks of life, 'Didn't I want to escape him?'

The words were completed and Kagome found herself reading "Stay Focused" She again looked out of the window a sad smile across her face, 'Who am I kidding? This is for the best. It would never work out. I need to stay focused on going to get my education instead of chasing after dreams.'

Kagome had more to add to that, but it was lost when she noticed Inuyasha perk up. It wasn't very much, but from knowing him for so long she could tell he had just spotted something that he hadn't expected to see. She frowned trying to get a glimpse at what he was staring at but all she saw was a person wearing a white coat and red slacks, hair as dark as midnight. The figure was taking deliberate steps towards an alert boy who seemed frozen in place. Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief.

"It can't be…" She didn't want to rile herself up over something that couldn't possibly be true, but the scene before her didn't seem like something she was adding towards.

'It can't possibly be her, but then who else looks like that?!' Her mind was screaming. It seemed the world moved in slow motion as the female made her way closer to Inuyasha.

'No, no no no No!' The bell rung at that moment and Kagome ran out of the room quicker than the teacher could breathe. Her books were carelessly tossed inside of her bag crushing papers she would've cried over for ending up crinkled after hours of work, but nothing else crossed through her mind at the moment except one.

Her legs stretched to their limits and she cleared a usually busy hall in record speed. Behind her a vaguely familiar voice was calling her name, but she couldn't place it as she continued outside.

Finally, there was the door! Kagome dug her heels in before running directly into the metal she caught her breath before opening the door and creeping outside. Now every step felt like a thousand weights to carry, but she just had to know, she had to prove that she was being foolish and that her eyes were playing tricks on her.

Just infront of her, she could see the woman before Inuyasha. She was closer now having stopped infront of him. The high school student peeked from behind a nearby wall to watch heart hammering in her chest. Inuyasha was parting his lips to speak, to say the name of the woman in front of him. Silently Kagome hoped it wasn't the name she had prayed to never hear him say again.

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Inuyasha stood frozen. He couldn't believe who was smiling at him. Who he was talking to after all of these years. He parted his lips to speak feeling a slight resistance but quickly ignoring it to the name he wanted so badly to say.

"Kikyo…" He whispered it softly but still loud enough that anyone nearby could hear.

The woman before him smiled and in one fluid motion was embracing him, "Inuyasha, I've missed you so much."

"Kikyo, didn't you go away to…" She was silencing him with a finger cold to the touch, "I came back."

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It was her…

The young woman willed herself not to do something like scream or cry. The name replayed over and over again in her mind.

Kikyo…Kikyo…Kikyo, she was the only woman that had ever come close to taking Inuyasha's heart. She did take it…only to throw it away when she moved away to that shrine that trained priestesses. It had been years since she had last been in their city so why was she back now? At a time like this?

Kikyo had been the only rival Kagome had ever faced. In everything she did, Kikyo could always top her whether sports, popularity, grades…the younger woman hadn't minded so much until she had beaten her in the only thing that Kagome had taken to heart back then. Inuyasha.

It was before they had started dating and she had known the man was madly head over heels for her rival. After all she was his best friend how couldn't she know?

They had went out for awhile, but it was obvious the affection was very one-sided; where Inuyasha gave and gave, Kikyo just continued to take. She just didn't like him the way he did her. Finally she broke it off.

The poor guy had been crushed when Kikyo delivered the words, "Let's go in different directions, and see other people." Kagome had never truly forgiven the girl for leaving her friend so broken. And then she had sent the last nail into the coffin by moving away.

"I need to escape certain…distractions and purify my mind. I am a priestess and it is disgraceful to fall into such lust." She had been talking about Inuyasha the entire way.

Kagome took a deep breath before peeking beyond the wall again. He wouldn't take her back in…not after what she had done to him. He had to remember the pain he felt after she said those things.

Kikyo was speaking again about how she had made a mistake and wanted to go out with him again.

"I know it is really sudden, but lately, all I have been able to think about is what we use to have…is there any way we can bring that back? My love?" Kagome thought she was going to be sick. 'My love? you weren't calling him that the day you packed your bags for that plane!' Kagome growled but not too loudly, she wanted to hear Inuyasha tell her off. She needed to here him say to crawl back up to whatever mountain she had slink from.

She was straining to hear, but no words were touching her senses. The winds blew and the voices of people further away echoed, but none matched those of Inuyasha.

Kagome had to know what was going on, but she dreaded peeking through the corner to see, something told her she wasn't going to like the view.

Her shoulders relaxed and a hand rose to steady herself. Eyes opened slowly while she leaned forward the inside of her stomach burning with dread and foreshadowed sadness.

As her gaze focused she saw him, he wasn't standing stock still like when Kikyo had first embraced him. He was no longer nervous and unsure. He was relaxed, laying his chin comfortably atop her head. Arms wrapped lovingly around her. Those were words enough for Kagome.

Slowly the girl retracted and sat down behind the wall. Her eyes still seeing the man she thought she knew embracing the woman who had betrayed him. She was paralyzed in her spot on the floor, unable to believe it, and yet not seeing him doing anything else.

'Why do I care?' A small thought beckoned, it was pushing her to stand up, trying to get her to function again, 'So what he's back together with Kikyo? It's not like we were anything special…it doesn't matter…you've got a bright future to look ahead to."

But staring ahead all she saw were dark clouds.

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Everyone would have thought the next three days for Inuyasha would have been like floating on the clouds. It was the last week of school and not only did he not have to see his ex-girlfriend ever again after that Friday, but Kikyo the first woman he had fallen in love with had returned to him declaring her love and how she never wanted to leave him again. He should've been ecstatic…but he felt more like he had landed himself into a pit void of all joy.

Kikyo was great, she really was. Inuyasha was reminded of why he had fallen in love with her in the first place every time she smiled at him or touched his arm in that way only she could. Even as they sat across from one another in a restaurant and she flipped through a menu she looked like a goddess.

"Inuyasha sweetheart, have you chosen something?" The voice tossed the young man from his thoughts and retrieving the menu he frowned, "Uhh, pasta."

His mother giggled beside him, shaking her head she opened her menu and continued, "Pasta huh? Well, what sort of pasta? Chicken, shrimp, steak? This is Greenhouse Café you have to be a bit more specific."

"Steak pasta, with the steak 'well done'" He shot back with a smug smile but though his mother giggled again Kikyo was frowning. Inuyasha sighed to himself.

Kikyo had wanted to go out eat, just the two of them, but Inuyasha felt horrible about going out when his mother was left alone at home. It had been quite awhile since she had been able to do something fun so he had told her that he would go, but bring Izayoi along too. Kikyo wasn't happy.

'If I were with Kagome, I wouldn't be having this problem, she would have been thrilled and probably invited her mother also…' After that thought Inuyasha roughly shook himself. What was he thinking about Kagome for?! But lately, the more he had been around Kikyo, the more he thought about Kagome.

The two were similar in appearance. If one didn't know any better they would say that they were related, but the comparison only went skin deep.

Where Kagome was flawed Kikyo excelled and it was the same the other way around.

Picking up a toothpick he began to bite it. The reason he had broken up with Kagome was because of her flaws. She couldn't understand the business world and was horrible in politics, it had frustrated him when she would fall asleep over a problem that would be considered elementary to any successful businessman. Kikyo was the polar opposite to Kagome when it came to this knowledge. She could easily keep up with the complicated math and even successfully hold her own on a deal. Though this should've thrilled Inuyasha he was finding himself missing Kagome's naivety.

Across the restaurant a baby girl was running back to her seat he listened for a moment as the girl's mother told her not to run, and watched as the warning was delivered too late and the child fell. As expected, the mother quickly stood and picked the child up moving to comfort her and stop the tears. Again Inuyasha thought about Kikyo and Kagome.

Kagome was a natural with children, she adored them and if that mother hadn't been right there he could've bet that she would've stood up and moved to comfort the child also.

Across from him Kikyo had rolled her eyes at the display and started to grumble about how they should ban children like that from restaurants.

Inuyasha knew that though Kikyo did like kids, it was more reserved. She enjoyed kids when they were on their best behavior, but when a child did something like that she didn't want to be there to tell them it was alright as much as she wanted to scold them.

"Kikyo…you're everything Kagome wasn't…everything I wanted her to be, so how come I'm not happy?"

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"Kagome!" Sango was running through the halls with Ayame at her heels infront of them was a quiet girl with black hair closing her locker door, "Kagome! Wait up!"

Finally the girl seemed to have heard the girls and stopped before walking away, allowing them to catch up to her, "Oh, hey Ayame, Sango."

"We haven't seen much of you at all lately. Where've you been?" Ayame asked throwing on a happy smile. But the joy was lost on Kagome, turning her head she listened to the laughter of a woman's voice echo through the halls. Kagome turned to see Kikyo standing beside Inuyasha's locker leaning against it with a dreamy expression while the young man grabbed his books.

"I've been around." She answered shortly. Turning her head she slammed her locker shut making her friends jump, but she could care less as she brushed past them and walked towards her class.

Sango and Ayame quickly recovered from there shock moving to take the two spots beside their best friend. Sango started in with sympathy, "You upset about Kikyo?"

"Kikyo? What should I be upset about Kikyo?" She had answered with a low growl, but the girl didn't seem to notice.

"You don't mind that her and Inuyasha are dating again?" Ayame tried

"Why should I be?" Kagome stopped abruptly causing her friends to nearly trip over her. There was a flame in her eyes as she addressed Ayame, "Inuyasha has been in love with Kikyo since Jr. High. He's finally gotten his wish to have the love returned. Why should my feelings matter in this situation? I'm leaving in about two weeks anyways!!"

She had yelled the last part and the sound of her breaking heart came through as clearly as the sun that day. Shaking her head she continued again.

"It's not like we were a couple anyways. I'm not mad. I could care less about him getting back together with Kikyo." Kagome repeated this lie to herself just a bit softer hoping that it would become true.

The truth was that ever since she had seen Inuyasha take her back Kagome had found herself unable to think about anyone else except him. She tried to figure out what it was that she had that Kagome didn't and why she felt so strongly about it. More than anything she wanted to know why she missed him so much.

Kagome was finding excuses to call him now. Asking dumb questions about the project's presentation that she already knew the answers to and making him come over to her house because she 'thought' certain things she had packed were really his. But though she continuously did these things the girl couldn't figure out why. They weren't friends anymore! Why couldn't she just accept that?

"It doesn't matter…today is the last day of school. Just get the project over with and then I'm on a one way ticket to the University of Tokyo."

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"Alright class. Please quickly take a seat next to your partner in the 'Marriage Project'." Kaede fell quiet allowing the class to begin moving around. As the class fell quiet once again she nodded in approval, "Now this will not be done as many of you expected. The presentations will not be done in this room, but in the room across the hall. I will call on you and your partners name and you will proceed to follow me into the room. There will be a panel of teachers who will each judge you and your partner together on your project. Your grade will be determined by the overall score. You will then be asked questions together, and then will be asked some more questions separately. Then you will be ushered back into this room where you may do as you please for the remainder of the period."

The class accepted this news with no major disappointment. And within minutes the first pair was called and sent into the room. Meanwhile partners again went over their presentations and rehearsed what they would say.

Inuyasha and Kagome sat in silence each consumed in their own thoughts which were both about the same person. Kikyo. Occasionally they would send shy looks towards each other, but every time they had eye contact both would quickly look away.

"Inuyasha and Kagome." Kaede called after half of the class had finished. Nodding Kagome picked up their papers while Inuyasha gathered the posters.

"Well this is it." Kagome whispered to Inuyasha who only nodded and took a deep inhale leaving the room and entering in a much quieter room.

The chairs and desks had been moved away with three tables moved into a corner to allow the teachers to sit comfortably. Inuyasha and Kagome proceeded to set up their materials while the teachers looked through some papers on their desks.

"So Inuyasha, Kagome you may begin."

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The presentation went surprisingly well with the two switching between talking to the teachers and holding diagrams and stuff for them to see. They showed off their house and their schedules followed by jobs and income. Towards the end of their presentation the teachers were nodding obviously impressed.

"So…I see here that you two requested different partners on the second day of the project…would you care to explain why you chose to separate and what happened after your decision to stay together." It was Kagome by herself now answering questions while Inuyasha waited outside for his turn. The young woman hesitated for a moment not expecting them to ask her this, but then again she should've known…

"Well," She began nervously, "Before the project we hadn't been the best of friends and didn't agree on many aspects of life so being paired together we just assumed it wouldn't work out…Somehow after speaking to lady Kaede we managed to put aside our disagreements and focus on staying together in the same house without losing our minds. It took a lot of sacrifice on both of our parts…Inuyasha had to change his schedule around and I had to cook for him and care for his wellbeing in ways I wouldn't have before. Somehow after that, everything was more bearable."

"So you would say after you both agreed to deal with a bit of change and sacrifice…you were able to say together?"

Kagome thought about this, slowly she nodded her head, "Yes…I think I would say that."

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"Inuyasha, it says here that you knew Kagome before this project, how would you describe your relationship?"

Inuyasha sat down on a chair a ruthless smile crossed his face while thinking about their 'relationship' "We'll to put it lightly we were ready to kill each other."

Some of the teachers in the room's eyebrows rose in shock, "So you were enemies?"

"Not always, I mean along time ago we were the best of friends, and then when we gave dating a try everything fell to pieces."

"So, why would you say that being married worked when dating did not?"

The question made Inuyasha go silent for a second, slowly he opened his mouth to respond, "When we were dating…we didn't see eye to eye on a few things…and that is the reason why it didn't work out. We didn't have those problems on the marriage project."

"You're saying you and Kagome never had a disagreement during the project?"

"No, we did…we had a lot of them…"

"So what was so different this time?" A teacher prodded

"I guess…it was because we compromised."

"So are you saying that dating didn't work because neither of you were willing to compromise…but in the marriage you did which was why is was so successful?"

"Yeah…I guess so."

* * *

Hi peeps, this I admit has been laying on my computer for the past year, I kinda finished it, but didn't have the heart to post it.

Yeah, alot of stuff has happened between then and now, and I almost completely forgot about this site. That was until pixiepuff101 reviewed my story today asking me not to update. Sooo I decided to finish it between today and tomorrow.

Writing it I also realized there has to be two more chapters at least to wrap it up. Expect another right after this one! My apologies to those who actually have been waiting for the update on this story. And thanks for being so great everyone, new fans and older ones. This chapter is for you!

Z


	15. Chapter 14: Locked Up

New Chapter for Love and War

Love and War

Disclaimer: I've got it! I'll buy you from Rumiko Takahashi!

Inuyasha: I didn't know I was on sale…

Me: Well now you are!! So give me a price!

Inuyasha: um…ten million?

Me: -dumps the contents of piggy back- you think I could bargain that price down to five dollars, three pennies and a coke bottle that gets you a free happy meal at McDonalds?

Chapter 14: Locked Up

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This was the night. The night every high school student waited for. The one they dreamed about. The reason why they stayed in school and worked so hard every year.

Graduation night.

Kagome sat down before a mirror wearing a dark blue dress. It was sleeveless and burst out a little reaching down the ground. Around her neck she wore a locket from a long time ago. One she hadn't worn in years, but had just found sitting atop her bed when she entered her room. It was a silver locket in the shape of a heart. Inside was a picture of Inuyasha on their second date. He was surprised at the picture, but still smiling his golden eyes perfectly content. She had always loved this picture of him, and there was time she had never taken this locket from around her neck.

The thought took her to the jewelry on her wrist. This was a key in blue. On the top was the word in black "Best" while along the bottom where the key would be inserted read the word "For" Kagome hadn't worn this in a long time either and the object had been beside the locket atop her dress.

For a moment she fiddled with the jewelry. The key was useless and didn't make sense without it's other half. But there was nothing she could do about that seeing that she didn't own the rest of the item.

"It could've been destroyed for all I know…" But that wasn't stopping her from wearing either the bracelet or the necklace.

There was a call from downstairs and the young woman stood up and walked downstairs. She was greeted by her friends in their own graduation dresses Ayame in green and Sango in black and pink. Beside them stood Kagome's family ready to drive to the school. As Kagome walked out of the door she didn't catch her friends eyes as they noticed her jewelry. Both smiled towards the other before shutting the door.

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"Inuyasha! Come on we're going to be late!"

"Just a second!" Inuyasha yelled down the hall trying his best to put on his tie the right way before he ripped it into a million pieces.

He didn't want to wear the stupid thing, but his mother had insisted and he wasn't about to disappoint her.

"Stupid thing!" He yelled after another failed attempt with the piece of fabric. Right before he proceeded to destroy it, his mother breezed into the room with a grin, "Hold on sweetheart. Allow me."

She led him to the bed encouraging him to sit down since she wasn't going to be able to reach him if he stood tall. As she adjusted the tie something gold around her sons neck caught her eyes.

Acting as if she were still adjusting she leaned forward to get a better look before retracting with a warm smile. She remembered that necklace. She hadn't seen it in years, but when he had worn it he never took it off.

It was a gold heart locket with a picture of Kagome inside. Her eyes were bright and cheery the way they always were, but it was clear she wasn't expecting the picture.

There was a slight flush to her cheeks from some growing embarrassment giving her a spirited appearance.

Izayoi nodded finishing up. She encouraged Inuyasha to stand while she adjusted his sleeves. On his right wrist she found what she was looking for. Another item she hadn't seen in along time, one that used to be one of his favorites.

It was a key of black with the word "Friends" on the part where the key would be inserted. Towards the bottom center was the word "Ever" in red just like "Friends". It was a bracelet that contained another half, but he didn't own the other half as far as Izayoi knew.

Smiling even brighter she spoke with a voice filled with pride, "There, all finished. Kikyo, Miroku, and Kouga are waiting so we should get going."

"Thanks mother" Inuyasha replied giving her a hug

"Not a problem at all! I'm so proud of you…" Releasing him she lead the way smiling at her sons friends as she walked past them, "Come on! I would like to get a good seat!"

Inuyasha trailed behind her taking Kikyo by the hand as he walked past. Miroku gazed on with a black suit, a purple tie making him a bit more sharp and sophisticated look, he was the first to notice the bracelet and grinned to Kouga who was wearing a green tie and black suit. With identical eyes full of sneaky smiles they followed behind.

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Kagome stared out of a nearby window as Sango drove her and Ayame to the school for their big night. She knew ahead of them drove her family in their small car while following behind was Sango and Ayames parents each in their own vehicles also. It was a silent trip as the girls simply listened to the radio and thought about the past and future.

"Sango? What made you go out with Miroku?" The words were out of her mouth before she had really thought about them, but looking at the driver she continued, "I mean, isn't he the pervert and womanizer that you said you wouldn't go for in a million years? And even if he was the last guy on the face of the Earth you still wouldn't bat an eye?"

From her seat beside Sango she could see the edge of her lips begin to curve upwards into a smile, taking a glance at Kagome she laughed, "I did say that didn't I?"

Before Kagome could say anything back she continued to laugh, as it died down she kept the grin, "He isn't so bad though, I mean sure he still is a womanizer and a pervert, but there are a lot of good qualities to him also. And for all of his good qualities against a runaway comment, and hand, now and again…I think that's a pretty good deal."

"Sango's right Kagome." Ayame piped in with a grin, "Take Kouga, he can be insensitive, over possessive and sexist sometimes, but he's also really sweet and caring and would do anything to make you feel better. So he's not perfect, there is always something you have to live with."

Kagome nodded settling back down in her seat, she would have to think more on that, but before she could get into some hard core 'spacing out' the car was stopped and parked against the school.

"We're here!" Sango announced pulling out the keys, "And hey, there are the boys!"

There wasn't much Kagome was able to do, in the process of protesting Ayame got out of the car and opened her side dragging her out and pulling her towards the group consisting of Miroku and Kouga, but also Inuyasha and Kikyo.

"Good Evening my lovely Sango." Miroku said wrapping an arm around her waist, the hand started to lower but with it Sango was beginning to growl. Stopping while he was ahead Miroku greeted the other two girls with a grin, "And hello to you too Ayame and Kagome."

"Hello Miroku! And you to Kouga," Kagome spoke looking at them, her eyes lowered when they took in her ex, voice dropped lower, "And hi to you Inuyasha…and Kikyo…"

Kikyo was walking closer to her look alike as they came face to face she smiled a smile full of secrets, "Hello to you too Kagome."

Kagome lifted her eyes to take in the older woman, she was as gorgeous as ever in a dress of pure black, along a side it was slit to reveal her smooth legs. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she wore no make-up as always. Though it wasn't as if she needed any.

There was no jewelry on her body and her ears still remained unpierced. Kagome sometimes found herself wondering if jewelry would take or give her more shine, but she never could get an answer.

"Oh, there you are!" The women's gaze were broken to take in the aging Kaede walking towards them with a smile, "I thought you might come early, now would you mind helping an old lady?"

"Anything lady Kaede." Kagome answered. She had honestly said that so she might get an opportunity to escape the group. As Kaede nodded she smiled.

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"Ah good." Inuyasha heard Kaede say to an over eager Kagome. He had been watching her from the moment Ayame dragged her forward, she was obviously against the idea of getting anywhere near him and Kikyo but wasn't strong enough to resist Ayame.

As she had neared Inuyasha could get a better view of her attire and thought she was beautiful. The dress wasn't seductive like Kikyo's black gown, but still as appealing as it dared a deep blue that hung loose as it spread down to her legs. Her heels were bravely tall and narrow straps that wrapped around her ankle stopping further up the leg where he could not see. Her hair was left to the winds freely flying behind her in gentle waves that always returned to their respectful place. Make up was light, touching up certain places but not overpowering her skin.

Looking at her neck Inuyasha allowed his eyes to widen at the necklace she wore. It was the locket he had given her. On her wrist was a key…

"The switch to the lights tonight are in room 17 upstairs. The janitor shut them off and I don't know how to turn them back on. Inuyasha I know you do, so why don't you and Kagome go do that for me hm?"

At the sound of his name he snapped out of his thoughts to stare blankly at Kaede, "huh?"

"Forget it, I'm sure Kikyo would love to go with Inuyasha, wouldn't you Kikyo?" Kagome's voice was quiet, but he could still pick it up, he turned to see her head down.

"You're joking right? It's dark in that building, and I'm not here to graduate, I am a guest."

"Then it is settled. Now go on you two, stop wasting time. Everyone else follow me, I need help setting out chairs." Kaede announced walking past them to the fields where the graduation would be held. Kikyo immediately followed.

Inuyasha watched his girlfriend and friends leaving, only mildly shocked at Kikyo's response to helping Kaede. Turning himself he began towards the building, "Feh, let's just get this over with."

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Opening the door to the school building the first thing Kagome took in was the darkness and feeling of emptiness engulfing the place. Takahashi High was always really crowded and bright, but now it felt abandoned. Their foots clicking against the tile floors were nerve wracking against the silence surrounding them. And both were all too eager to reach the small room with the lights inside.

"This is room 17." Kagome muttered opening the door and walking inside. It was a much smaller classroom, Kagome remembered it being used for the 'Child Development Class' and Detention. Walking forward Kagome opened a small panel where inside was an array of codes and switches. There was a whole process to even turning on a simple closet light in the school to prevent students from messing with them. Janitors and the Principles were about the only ones who knew every single code. For a summer job though, Inuyasha had worked beneath the janitor and learned all of the codes, sometimes teachers would call him into their rooms and ask for certain things on and off. He had taught Kagome a few of them, but this one wasn't one of the ones.

She stepped to the side and watched him work pushing in numbers and commands. The entire process took about two minutes. Finally he stood tall, closing the panel, "They're on now."

"Good, then we can go-" She had just stood up and was walking towards the door, but said door did something that made her heart stop.

Said door closed.

Her steps were hurried as she walked forward grabbing the handle and turning while putting her weight on the door. But to no such luck. It was locked.

"Please don't do this to me…" Kagome whimpered trying again with the exit but again it held its ground.

When she backed away Inuyasha also tried getting the same results, after five minutes the pair ended up sitting in chairs beside each other thinking about their luck.

"Someone will come for us after awhile." Kagome muttered, "Surely Kikyo, I mean she'll notice you haven't returned and come looking."

"I hope so…" Kagome frowned at his voice, it didn't sound so confident in his lover. After another moment of silence she heard his voice softly, "You're wearing…that necklace and…bracelet."

She looked down at her jewelry sadly, "Yeah…I am."

"Why?"

"I don't know…I guess, I just thought…never mind…it was nothing." She shook her head staring at a wall, "You threw yours away anyway huh?"

"Feh, you wish." She turned her head in surprise to find herself staring at a gold necklace and the second part of the key on his body. Her eyes grew wide.

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Her regarded her expression under hooded eyes which widened lightly as they took in her blue orbs lingering with tears yet to fall. He hated when women cried.

Shaking his head he plundged on in an explanation, "I, I never meant for us to stop being friends. I mean, I thought we at least go back to that! So…" He fell silent unable to think of anything else to say.

"So then, why are you wearing…that locket? Or did you…" He knew what she wanted to ask. Did he throw out the picture of her and replace it with a picture of Kikyo. Without even looking at her Inuyasha knew how upset Kagome was. He knew all about the rivalry between her and Kikyo, he knew about Kagome had always tried her best to live up to the standard Kikyo set, but how it pained her everytime she fell short. For him to replace her with the locket…it would be like a slap in the face to her.

"Why the hell would I do that?" He snapped slightly rude, "This has nothing to do with her…and besides, I would only do that if I knew…"

"If you knew what?"

He knew the question would come, he had expected it, and already knew how to respond, but it still hurt to say the words out loud. "If I knew….that," closing his eyes his teeth grinded hard against each other, he didn't want to say it but his heart needed to, his soul cried it, "If I knew I loved her, and that she loved me back."

Kagome wasn't saying anything back. The stillness encouraged him to move forward, "Since, we've been…back together, something's been wrong. I don't…love her like I did before…she's not…"

He couldn't continue, words died on his tongue. Kagome still wasn't speaking, but he couldn't dare look at her for a reaction, he wouldn't admit that he was scared that she wouldn't respond the way he was hoping for. Another minute rolled by and he sighed, she probably thought he was an idiot.

"After this, I'm going to University of Tokyo." Her voice caught him offguard, standing taller he listened to her sigh, "But…for some reason, I'm not that thrilled to go…I'll be leaving everyone. Family, Friends…and…and you….At first I was thrilled about the thought, but now…Inuyasha I…"

He turned around and their eyes met both wide and afraid. And both lips parted to speak.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

They had spoken at the same time. Inuyasha looked down in embarrassment as Kagome did the same, but recovering they looked up again smiling.

"What do you say…that we-"

"Try again."

There was a racket at the door, and as they both looked the door opened revealing Sango and Miroku, "Hello you two! Hope you weren't waiting for too long!"

"Sango! Miroku!" Kagome stood and embraced her best friend.

"Oi! What took you so long?!" Inuyasha growled walking towards Miroku who just laughed. Walking out of the door Inuyasha found himself grinning at Kagome. When she caught his eye, she smiled back a smile filled with joy, for some reason this made him feel like laughing, but turning around his smile vanished against ice.

"Kikyo…" He breathed staring down at the young woman he had claimed to be in love with for so many years. She was wearing a face of indifference. Not smiling, nor frowning. Fidgeting Inuyasha looked at the ground, "Uh…Kikyo…we…need to tal-"

"There is no need." She interrupted, walking past him she continued, "I already know."

Inuyasha continued to stare at her baffled and somewhat offended at how indifferent she was being towards this. As she passed Kagome she stopped gazing at the younger womans blue eyes with seriousness, "He's a good man Kagome. Be good to him."

And with that she left. Never turning around; never showing any signs of remorse, Inuyasha growled, "What the hell was that about?! I would've thought that she would be just a little bit ticked, or sad, or something?!"

Kouga, who had been standing beside Kikyo started into a nervous laugh starting to follow Kikyo to the exit, "Hehe, well we all mourn in different ways, who knows she could be dieing inside!" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at Kouga, for some reason he doubted that Kikyo was ready to jump off the school building or something over this. Beside him Ayame had raced forward taking Kagome by a hand and grinning, "So does this mean that you and Inuyasha are together again!"

Inuyasha caught her eye searching for any doubt or fear, or remnants of the feelings felt in the past. After a moment he nodded making Kagome beam.

"Yes Ayame! We're back together again!"

"It worked!!"

"What worked?"

"NOTHING!!"

* * *

Here's the second to last, or third to last...-; I'm just letting the story take me where it will. Anyone figure out what Ayame and Sango planned? Anybody want Inuyasha and Kagome to find out? Well, I'll let you sway my opinion on this one. Well, I'm working on the next one, it's half way finished. It might be up later today or early tomorrow. Thanks readers 3

Z


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